Silver Viper
by Wind172
Summary: AU from book 3. Severus Mentors Harry.
1. Summer

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Harry Potter and Company.

Author's Note: This is the Final Draft and the First chapter of my story Silver Viper.

Fixed Formatting.

Harry had been back at the Dursley's two weeks after his third year at Hogwart's. His chores for the day including weeding the flower beds in the garden, dusting the lounge and entrance way, vacuuming the carpets and doing the laundry. As it had looked like it was going to rain he had decided that he had better do the garden first. As he was cleaning the debris from around the petunias his Aunt kept planted by the back door he felt a quick flash of pain. He drew his hand out and noticed two pinpricks on the back of his left hand. Using the trowel he brushed out all the debris from under the flowers. Nothing he could see that would have caused the injury. Since the two small wounds had already stopped bleeding he went back to his chore. By the time the rain had started he was inside doing the dusting with the first load of laundry in the washer. Once finished he managed to sneak one of his school books into his room. He spent the afternoon studying the last few chapters of his charms book. It was interesting because it covered the beginnings of permanently enchanting an object. That would be useful. Before the Dursley's arrived home he had his book back in his trunk in the cupboard under the stairs.

"What happened to your hand?" demanded his Aunt Petunia when she began to start dinner.

Harry looked at it and noticed it was puffy and red. "Scratched it on something. It doesn't hurt or anything. If it's still red by morning I'll owl Mrs. Weasley for a potion to take." Harry shrugged.

His Aunt let him go after he washed the dishes. When he went upstairs Hedwig was awake. So he cleaned out her cage while she perched on the back of his chair. It still wasn't dark enough for her to be let out. When it was he sent her out with a letter for Hermione. It contained a few questions about enchanting objects that he had added as a post script.

Around midnight a barn owl delivered a letter from Gringotts. He opened it and found out it was his monthly statement. He had been getting one every month since last summer. He had gone to the bank and asked how much money he actually had last summer. How much his school fees where, etc. He had been rather surprised that Hogwart's was supported by a special tax every one paid. So no one had to pay school fees. The only things that he had to buy was his uniforms and school supplies. The cost of which was less than the interest he was earning on the gold in his vault In the morning Hedwig was back with a letter for Harry. Hermione had suggested several books for him to read. His hand wasn't swollen any more. So he went downstairs to start breakfast. The week was much like his last two. A couple days before his birthday Mr Weasley came to pick him. Upon arrival he was whisked inside the Burrow by Mrs. Weasley and fed breakfast again. Then sent out with Ron to degnome the garden. Hermione joined them after lunch arriving by Floo from the Leaky Cauldron as that was the easiest way for her to get there.

Several days later Harry felt a burning in his left hand it lasted only a few minutes and he thought nothing of it. A couple of days after that Bill and Charley Weasley came home to attend the Quidditch World Cup. Their father had managed to score enough tickets for every one to attend. With well over 100,000 people expected to attend the Ministry had arranged for port keys to get every one to the site. Including reserving a muggle camp ground the price of which was included in the tickets. When they arrived they where directed to a campsite about two miles from the Pitch. Mr. Weasley produced what looked like two muggle pup tents. Once put up they being wizarding tents could house all of them.

They rose at dawn to get to their seats which where half way up the stands. It was a relatively short game for a professional match only lasting 2 hours before the Snitch was caught. When they returned to their campsite a ministry official from the Department of Transportation was waiting. He handed Mr. Weasley a slip of parchment then left.

"We catch our port key home in two hours so break camp." He told them. Camp was broken quickly and they all trooped to their port key point. The same bicycle tire that brought them here was used to take them back.

"I wish we could have stayed for the party." Ron commented once home.

"Those that lived closest to the pitch needed to go home to reduce the chance of muggles finding out." Mr. Weasley reminded Ron.

"I know." Ron sighed.

Molly supplied them with a late lunch then an even better dinner. When morning came the death eater attack was front page news. Harry was just glad he hadn't been there. Later the same day his hand burned this time going up to just above his wrist. As before it lasted only a few minutes before stopping.

When they went shopping for their school supplies a silver robe at Madam Malkin's caught his eye. When he touched it was the softest thing he had ever felt. "That's a woman's robe." Madam Malkin told him.

"Do you have anything in the same material for a man?" Harry asked.

"I'd have to make it up." She said.

"How much?" Harry asked.

"50 galleons." She replied. "It will take me two weeks to make up. Nor can the usual growth charms be added to it."

"What is the material?" Harry asked.

"Floss sheep wool." Harry fingered the material one more time then turned away. Way to expensive for every day robes. Turning he saw a patch worked robe worked in blue and green triangles. That one was meant to be worn over muggle clothing and was open in the front. This one he purchased as it was only 12 sickles. He bought a couple other robes for casual wear as well these are the type one can wear over muggle clothing. This year his Aunt had taken him to Tesco's to buy some cheap clothing so he had something to wear that actually fit.

Then it's off to Flourish & Blotts for their text books. They had a new potions book for this year. Every one had to get one this year. As Harry scanned a couple random pages he saw that it was a better organized version of the old text with the recipe section in a second volume. That was something useful. The standard book of spells 4 was the slim volume he had come to expect. Flitwick would require them to read other books as they researched spells. The text book for the Magical theory class was not as thick as the one last year. Care of Magical Creatures had the same text book as last year. History of magic no new book. Astronomy required up dated charts.

A stop at the apothecary got them the prepackaged potion ingredients for the year. That was the last stop and for Hermione and Harry the Bronze knives they needed. Then it's back to the Burrow for a good lunch and the rest of the summer free. During the time spent with the Weasley's Harry had two more episodes with the pain inching up to his elbow.


	2. September

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. This is Fanfiction nothing else.

Author's Note: This chapter is a bit of set up for the future chapters. Expect a total of 26 chapters. I'll Attempt to update on Fridays but I have limited internet access at the moment.

Author's Note 2: I hope the formatting of this chapter is okay now.

September

When September first rolled a round Harry was glad to be going back to Hogwart's. He had managed to look through his Charm's book and his theory of magic book. There would be a heavy focus on enchanting items in both classes. A talk with Mr. Weasley had let him know that since he was a wizard living in a muggle home that knew of the wizarding world he could bring enchanted items into his home. The only thing he couldn't do was enchant things for the Dursley's as they where muggles. There was also a limit to what he could have in the way of enchanted items at his age.

The law allowed three personal items that looked like ordinary muggle items. He had made up a list of things and showed it to Mr. Weasley. Several Mr. Weasley crossed off the list immediately as it was to advanced of magic or illegal or while simple would interfere with the restriction of underage magic. That was a variation on an ever filled bowl spell. As Mr. Weasley explained it the food was drawn from an actual kitchen and an account had to be set up to pay for the food. The delivery of the food was what would set off the underage restriction since activating the bowl would require a word or motion. Though it was a common way working witches and wizards got lunch either from home or a restaurant with out leaving their desks. So with a much more reasonable list in hand he boarded the train for Hogwart's on the first of September.

Nothing on the way happened unlike last year's dementors. When he disembarked along with Ron and Hermione the carriages where waiting for them like last year. Their trunks where levitated to one of four large horse drawn carts to be brought to Hogwart's when the train was empty. Those with pets kept them with them and took them either to the owlery or to the students common room. One of the assistant animal keepers checked in the animals and made sure that they had all the necessary papers both the muggle ones and the wizarding ones.

The hat's song was a little more quirky this year. An other Harry Potter was sorted to Ravenclaw though this one was quite easy to tell from Harry, the second Hari was a girl with blonde pigtails and an American accent. That had solicited some comment from the various tables. After the feast it was to the dormitories and unpacking. Neville had acquired a Blue Pitcher plant which was carnivorous and required him to feed it a mouse once a week. If it's leaves where stroked it let off a sweet scent that relaxed you if you where close enough to breathe it in. Neville went on about it not being dangerous as the plant was full sized.

The guys all familiar with Neville's interest in plants nodded and continued to unpack. By the time they where finished it was lights out for their dorm as one by one the candles in the room went out. Once in their beds the brace of candles attached to the headboards went out. Morning brought no surprises. Their classes where in the same order as the previous years. From what Harry understood that was true for years 1 through 5. Harry had an episode of pain during History of Magic that shot up to his shoulder. It kept him awake through a bit of non goblin rebellion history that was vaguely interesting. It covered the discovery of the Floating Islands, a group of a half dozen islands that floated the worlds oceans invisible from muggles. The largest of which was only 10 miles in circumference. They had totally isolated ecosystems and where protected by international law about who and what could come and go from them.

Potions started the year off with the boil cure potion just like the last 3 years. Harry was coming to understand why Snape was doing it. While the simplest of potions it did require several techniques in the preparation of the ingredients and and various temperatures. It also was almost impossible to get wrong and if it did go wrong the only thing that happened was you got a case of boils. It was during potions class that Harry began to shift from using his right hand to stir to his left.

Defense against the Dark Arts was taught by a retired Auror by the name Jacob Dunn. A practical man he divided his class into sections. Theory, followed by demonstration, followed by practice, then the study of a dark creature. The class was heavy on defensive spells. While the man didn't require essays. He did give out between 5 to 20 questions on the theory portion of the class and another 5 to 20 questions on the Dark Creature.

Herbology started with tropical water plants. Starting with a purely ornamental plant the blue lotus. Transfiguration started where they left off last year on changing non similar objects. Charms was the most difficult class for him so far this year. For once it was Ron who was the best. He helped both Hermione and Harry with both the motions and the incantation which in Greek.

During the month of September the episodes of pain became more frequent coming about every 3 to 4 days. By the end of the month the pain encompassed his left arm, both shoulders, his head, and his upper right arm. Again the pain lasted only 2 to 3 minutes before disappearing. When Harry went to see Madam Pomfrey she could find nothing wrong with him. She attributed the pain to him growing as he was in the middle of a growth spurt. Harry accepted the diagnosis and so September faded into October.


	3. First Look

Authors Note: This will likely be my shortest chapter. You'll see more of Snape in the next Chapter.

Disclaimer: Regrettably not mine.

An episode of pain woke him. He stuck his head out of the curtains of his bed to check the time. The clock by the door glowed and read 3:32 Harry tried to go back to sleep but was unable to do so. Defeated he got up and dressed he'd take his potions book down to the common room to study as they had a test today.

As he headed down stairs but before the brace of candles could light at the mid point landing he saw a faint glowing door shaped outline at the landing. When he got there he stopped and felt around where he saw the glow until he found a stone that pushed in which caused a door to swing open. Inside the secret room clean linen was neatly stacked on house elf height shelves. Harry closed the door linen closets didn't interest him.

Down in the common room there where several items that glowed in the dim light of a couple candelabra that where always lit. Most of them Harry knew to be enchanted items. He ignored them to study for that potions test that he had later on today. That was one mark he wanted to get up. Ron and Hermione joined him by 7 to go down to the great hall for breakfast together.

Then it was off to potions and the test. Snape handed the tests out as they came into the room. Along with a new goose quill. 15 multiple choice questions and 3 essay questions. Typical of Snape's end of section tests. The extra studying seemed to help him as he took the test. When he finished he took it and the quill he used to Snape. He handed the test to Snape and dumped the quill into a bucket filled with a gently glowing potion.

Harry blinked and looked at the bucket again. The quills where non magical. Harry expected that they came from the roast goose they had for Sunday's dinner. So why would Snape want them as an ingredient for a potion. "Sir, are the quills used for the solution to enchant a Never out Quill?" Harry asked.

Snape looked up from his correcting. He took Harry's test and added 5 points extra credit. "Correct Mr. Potter. Do you know where the ink comes from?" Snape asked.

"No, Sir." Harry replied.

"For extra credit I'd like a 2 foot essay on the source of the ink for a Never out Quill." Snape said.

"Yes, Sir." Harry said and went back to his desk opening his potion text to the index and started to look up references for ink. By the time every one was finished with the test it was almost time to go. Snape gave them a reading assignment then dismissed them.

As Harry went to his next class he noticed faint outlines of magic on the wall here and there. Usually were there was some form of shadow either from something blocking the light or a dark corner, most where door shaped. That evening after checking the map Harry slipped out of the common room and went to the one that was in a little used corridor near the common room. He had checked this corridor out last year it contained one room with no door on the inside wall and a row of arrow slits on the outside wall. The door outline was to the left of the room. The stone that opened it was near the bottom on the left side.

Harry pressed it and twisted it like the door to the linen closet it opened easily. Once he stepped inside and the door was closed torches began burning. The room was square with a dozen narrow beds along the walls, chests at the foot of each bed. A plank table with benches stood in the middle of the room. Dust covered everything which was very unusual for Hogwarts. It's as if the room had been forgotten. Since there was no lock on the trunks that Harry could see he opened one. The trunk was empty as were the trunks on either side. As he explored the various secret rooms of Hogwarts he came across a potions lab near the infirmary. He also found secret passage ways that where not on the Marauders map. The odd thing was they where straight and he knew that there wasn't any way for them to be like that. At this point he enlisted Ron and Hermione's help.

It was Ron who told Harry what the passages where. The passages where simply two points connected by magic that allowed freight to move between the two points. Once set the points couldn't be moved nor could the paths cross which made them useless for travel unless one was traveling internationally. It was a nearly obsolete method of travel as Portkeys where much better at moving people around.


	4. Mage Sight

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did.

Harry returned to the hidden potions lab. It took him several minutes to find the Syrup of poppies he needed for potions class on Monday. He took only the one phial leaving the others. As it's a class 2 controlled substance he couldn't get it by owl order. Snape had handed them a permission slip for one sealed single use phial Friday to present to the apothecary in Hogsmeade in order to be able to acquire it.

"Potter, what are you doing in here?" Snape said a hint of anger coloring his voice.

Harry turned to face Snape. Snape was not wearing his teaching robes though he had a robe on the looked much like a lab coat down to the white color."I forgot to get a phial of Syrup of Poppies when I went to Hogsmeade yesterday." Harry replied.

"So you are the one Madam Vane told me of. I give out only a set number of those permission slips Madame Vane knows that number. Only her apothecary is allowed to supply underage students the phials of Syrup of poppies. Some one not turning in one to Madam Vane, she informs me of it. This lab is set up for Madam Pomfrey's use do not in the future remove ingredients from it. For your detention you will report to her for one week at 7 in the evening. In the future remember to acquire the needed ingredients yourself. Return the phial to the shelf. Bring 5 sickles to class with you in the morning. You will be able to purchase the phial then." Snape said coldly. He waited until Harry had complied and had left the lab.

Harry brought the 5 sickles he needed to class in the morning. Snape gave him the single use phial then told the class that if they forget to acquire restricted ingredients he will have a small stock on hand for purchase in the future? He then swept through the room checking the seals on the phials. Satisfied he let them start the first phase of the potion. About 20 minutes before the end of class Snape had them stop and clean up. Each potion was transferred to ironstone crocks for a week of aging.

"Mr. Potter stay after class." Snape ordered. Once every one was out of the room. "Potter tell me what you see?" Snape indicated a cage with three mice like creatures in it only instead of fur the mice like creatures where covered in scales of a dusty dark blue.

"Not sure what they are but there are three mice like animals in the cage." Harry replied puzzled. "They have scales instead of fur and are a dark blue in color."

"You may go. Mr. Potter." Snape dismissed him.

Ron and Hermione had waited outside for him. "Prof. Snape wanted me to tell him what was in the cage by his desk." Harry explained to his friends.

"The cage was empty," Hermione said. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Harry was there a mouse sized animal with dark blue scales?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, three of them." Harry replied puzzled.

"Do the enchanted items in the common room glow?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, so?" Harry commented a touch puzzled over what had Ron so excited.

"Wicked your Magic Sight is coming in early." Ron grinned. "Are you seeing colors yet or is it just a glow still?"

"A little bit what does it mean?" Harry asked.

"Enchanted items give off a light to some one with mage sight. Bill says the colors can tell you what types of spells where used to enchant the item." Ron explained. "It usually manifests when a wizard is in his mid twenties. Only about 1 in 4 wizards have it."

"What does it mean when it manifests early then?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know." Ron shrugged.

By that time they had arrived at their next class. That evening when Harry arrived for his detention with Madam Pomfrey she set him to cleaning out a storage room. While he was doing that 2 7th year Slytherins came in with them was a Hufflepuff girl who had clearly been badly hexed.

"Miss Brown what happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked indicating a bed for the poor girl.

"We think Samuel Brown did this. We found her by the path to the stables." Miss Brown said.

"I see. Mr. Potter come here." Madam Pomfrey ordered. "Tell me what you see." She ordered while lowering the lights enough to let the his mage sight see the faint glow.

Harry studied the girl then began to describe what he saw. Madam Pomfrey listened then asked questions of him. The two Slytherins waiting in the background. When he was finished Madam Pomfrey raised the lights. Beginning her diagnostic spells. Harry went back to cleaning out the storage area. When he finished he was met by the two Slytherins outside of the infirmary.

"I'm Sarah Graham, both of my Parents are muggle born."

"Andrea Brown, my Dad's a muggle."

"What do you want?" Harry asked nervously.

"Just to tell you that you do have allies in Slytherin and to watch out for Samuel Brown. He likes to hex students younger then him. Specially those with unusual magical talents and less then Pure Blood. That girl has beast tongue with an affinity for cats and her parents are muggleborn. Don't let him know you have mage sight." Andrea said. "He's a so called Pureblood with no special magical talents and he hates every one with any special talents. It doesn't help that his family is half squibs."

"Is Brown in Slytherin?" Harry asked.

"Ravenclaw 5th year." Sarah answered.

"Thanks for the heads up." Harry said and went back to his dorm. The next evening Madam Pomfrey had him sit down and identify magical objects using his mage sight. Sorting them into groups according to what colors they glowed. It was during this that he had an episode of pain. It was as brief as usual lasting only 2 minutes. This time the pain encompassed both his arms, his head and mid way down his chest. Madam Pomfrey cast a diagnostic spell over him.

"As I thought magical growing pains, Mr. Potter. As your body grows so does your magic. When you have a growth spurt your channels of magic also grow. If the pain lasts longer then 5 minutes come to me immediately it's a sign that something is wrong." She told him. "Now is your mage sight stronger?"

"I can see more colors." Harry admits. "They're brighter too."

"Good. I'm going to make you an appointment with a healer who specializes in eyes. Your glasses prescription will need be changed to allow for mage sight. From now on you will have to get your glasses from the magical world and not a muggle eye doctor. I'll inform your relatives of the requirements and that the glasses are covered by the magical version of the National Health." Madam Pomfrey told him.

When he left the infirmary he stopped to try the door to Madam Pomfrey's potion lab. It was locked against him. Over the course of the next several days he tested the secret doors and passage ways he found. About a third of them where now locked against him. Most of them where empty rooms and not the passageways. He did note that the locked doors where in corridors where the rooms where the only spot to hide was the secret room.


	5. Glasses

Disclainer: I don't own Harry Potter and comppany

Saturday morning Prof. Snape met Harry after breakfast to escort him to the healer. "Potter have you ever done side-along apparition before?" Snape asked as they walked toward the front gate.

"I don't know what that is, Sir."Harry replied.

"I'll take that as no. You will need to be in physical contact with me for this to work. To this end we will walk to the main gate step outside it to the left side to the paved area. There you will place your arms about my waist I will place my hands on your shoulders I will then take you to Little Arran Island and the healer there. Once you are steady on your feet you will let me go. Understand?"

"Can't we use the Knight Bus?" Harry asked.

"Not with the time constrictions we have to deal with today. Nor is there a Floo connection regrettably." Snape replied.

They walked through the gate turning to the left to the paved area that always puzzled Harry. It didn't glow though the gates and the wall did. "Sir, are the walls around Hogwarts enchanted?" Harry asked.

"The walls themselves are not. However they mark the physical extent of the Wards of Hogwarts. You are seeing the wards themselves. Are they one color or many?" Snape asked curious.

"Some patches are red, some green, blue or yellow. Then some patches I can't really tell what color they are because the colors are really faint." Harry replied.

"Very good. When we get back I want you to tell me if you see more color or less. Arms about my waist now please." Snape ordered.

Harry complied. Snape placed his hands on Harry's shoulders. Then the world squeezed down to a tiny tube of blackness streaked with multicolored bands. The tube spat them out in a village square no where he's ever been. It took a moment for him to get his bearings then he let go. There was a pub on one side with a sign of a Gryphon with a keg of spilled drink at it's feet and one wing over the keg. Across from the pub there was an apothecary, a book store and one shop that had a huge pair of glasses hanging out side it. That is where Snape took him.

"This is the hamlet of Arran. About fifty people live here. It serves the mer folk, selkies and other beings who live in and around the sea. Be aware that the healer here is not human." Snape warned him as they entered the shop.

"Professor is this the child?" The healer asked. He was quite human looking with a neat beard of dark reddish brown with two small tusks that extend to the bottom of the chin as the only thing that was odd.

"Master Beckett, this is Harry Potter." Snape introduced them.

"Hello Master Beckett. Is a magical eye exam anything like a muggle one?" Harry asked politely.

"The first part is quite similar I am told. Being a Selkie I never had a muggle one. You'll have to tell me." Beckett lead Harry to a chair then had Harry take off his glasses and read a chart of common magical symbols. Each line smaller then the others. The rest proceeded like a regular exam for Harry except that Beckett placed an helmet like thing on his head with a set glasses frames in front of his eyes in which Beckett placed individual lens in or removed them.

Then came the odd part. Beckett put drops in his eyes and the world changed color. Beckett had him go through the whole exam again though instead of adding or subtracting lens he added or subtracted colored glass. It took several hours to get it right. When the helmet was removed the world was a psychedelic blur of strange colors and shapes bleeding into each other.

Master Beckett blind folded him and the chaos mercifully ended."You'll need to leave that on for about two hours as the drops wear off. Come back at that time and I'll have your new glasses ready. I'll also send a copy of your prescription to the specialist at St. Mungo's as she is the one closest to your home. I'll want you back in six months for a follow up. It takes up to three years for mage sight to fully come in. So I'll be seeing you every six months until its fully in. Professor there's a good mussel pie at the pub today."

"I'll take that under advisement Master Beckett." Snape said. He then lead Harry to the pub across the way. The Barman took them back to a private room. There he ordered fish and chips for Harry and the mussel pie for himself. Once the Barman was gone. "The reason why I ordered for you is that with your temporary blindness fish and chips are one of the easiest foods to eat."

"What about the half pint of porter?" Harry asked. He had been surprised when Snape had ordered him the beer.

"The inn makes an excellent porter and the beer will help you rid yourself of the drops put in your eyes." Snape told him. "The alcohol in the beer neutralizes the affect of the serpents eye in the potion. Give that your mage sight is coming in early there certain classes you should have. Mage sight and the spells and potions used to mimic the ability are taught in 5th year Theory of Magic. As I have no mage sight students this year I will take you as my student."

"Do you have mage sight Sir?" Harry asked.

"Of the staff of Hogwarts all four heads of house do and Madam Pomfrey, though only Madam Pomfrey's position requires it as part of the job. The Headmaster to my knowledge does not. Hagrid has it as well. So if you think you see something and no one else does have one of the heads of house take a look there are a number of beasts and plants that can be only seen with mage sight. Do not ever look at a dementer with mage sight until you are full grown."

"To late sir." Harry replied.

"If the nightmares generated by that vision become to much inform Madam Pomfrey and she will have me make up the correct nightmare reduction potion. Your age restricts your use of Dreamless Sleep." Snape informed him.

Their food is brought and Harry acknowledges Snape's choice of food. The porter is strongly flavored but not unpleasant he tastes a faint hint of chocolate in it and something else. "Describe the flavor of the porter if you would Mr. Potter." Snape asked.

Harry does so. For the next couple of hours Snape had him use his other senses. While he was doing this he learned that magic had a distinct feel to it. Snape's magic felt like a warm blanket. He also heard a faint laughter though he couldn't place where it was coming from.

"Mr. Potter I am going to take off the blindfold now. Tell me immediately if you have trouble seeing." Snape told him.

Once the blindfold was off Harry opened his eyes slowly. Only a streak of silver light floating to his left reminded him of the weirdness of the eye exam. "I'm seeing almost normally again. Just the odd streak of color floating by." Harry told Snape.

"Very good Mr. Potter we will return to Master Beckett's shop to get your glasses then return to Hogwarts." Snape said settling their lunch bill with the Barman.

Beckett was waiting with them. "Mr. Potter your glasses are ready. If you will sit down I'll make the final adjustments." Beckett indicated the chair.

Harry sat down Beckett put the new pair on him. The first thing he noticed was everything was sharper there was no tiny bit of fuzziness around everything. The second thing he noticed was anything magical glowed with a clear light.

"Everything is clearer now?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Much clearer." Harry said. ¥¥¥¥¥¥ "Excellent then let's adjust the frames so they fit better." Beckett said. He then proceeded to adjust the fit the glasses the muggle way. "The fit is good?"

"Yes," Harry replied. ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ "Good then I expect you back the first day of May." Beckett said dismissing them.

The return to Hogwarts is less disorienting Harry noticing that the streaks of light are fatter in the middle and thinner at the edges. When Snape asked him to describe the wards of Hogwarts while there are fewer colors each color is much clearer and more defined.

**Author's Note**: In my universe an adult may order beer, cider or wine for a minor with a meal in the wizarding world. Small beer like Butter beer may be ordered by those 13 and older without an adult present. Small beer having an alcohol content of less the 1% by volume. Legal drinking age in the wizarding world is the same as legal age.


	6. Hidden Library

Disclaimer: Don't own HP and Company. Harry's first lessons with Snape started with potions. This time with Snape making and explaining what the actual colors meant as the potion changed colors in the brewing process. A rich azure was surprisingly the sign of a potion gone wrong, while an ultra pale green was the sign an explosion was soon to happen.

The class held every Wednesday evening took them through November. Snape was calm and collected in these classes never being snide or sarcastic. In them Harry learned more then he ever did in the regular class on potions. Enough to get his grade up where it needed to be.

Harry continued his exploration of the castle with Hermione and Ron. One room they found in the library contained books that to Harry's eyes seemed to glow. When Hermione pulled one off the shelf she found the pages blank when Harry looked at it there were notes that seemed to pertain to transportation spells in a lovely Copperplate hand. A half dozen others where pulled out and examined. Blank pages for Hermione and Ron. Handwritten text for Harry.

Hermione grew thoughtful then exited the room and came back a few minutes later with a thick tome her finger marking a place. "This is a copying spell. It's used to copy a quote from a book to your essay. I don't know if it will work on the text that's invisible to us and make it visible. Try and copy one passage." Hermione ordered.

A blank sheet of parchment was set down Harry looked over the spell it was easy enough. He highlighted a paragraph in the book then attempted to copy it to the blank piece of paper. It worked. Hermione was able to read the text but it made no sense to her. Ron when he looked it over understood some. "The author have a name?" Ron asked.

Harry opened the book to the front. "Desmonda Fly," Harry replied.

"Wicked. She invited the Floo network over 200 years ago." Ron said.

"If all of these are hand written notes for inventions of one sort or another..." Hermione mused.

Harry put that one back and took out another book. This one he understood it covered potions. Another had charms of various sorts in them and one was a collection of jinxes Harry had never heard of he read out titles of the jinxes to the others. It was agreed that Harry would copy that one in its entirety for them. Even Ron didn't hadn't heard of them.

With Hermione urging caution when casting these new jinxes Harry showed them the old barracks room on the outer wall for their designated practice area. It took Harry a better part of a week to copy the book. Hermione went over each jinx first. It was she who picked out the first jinx for them to learn.

At this stage in their development magically they usually got the spell right the first time but it had a tendency to be a very weak version of it. The jinx Hermione picked used a very common counter to end the spell. Harry had drawn the short straw and was the victim of the jinx. Ron cast the spell and Harry's ears grew huge any movement over balanced him. Hermione cast the counter his ears returned to normal. It however was not a fast acting jinx it took some 2 minutes before the ears became unwieldy and another 2 minutes to reach maximum size.

Still it had a couple of advantages. Easy to cast with a common counter spell. They tried a couple more with the same counter spell. All had something to do with enlarging a body part or shrinking it. One jinx if aimed at the hands shrunk them so the victim couldn't hold a wand. Harry immediately saw the logic of that one and had Ron and Hermione promise not to use the jinx unless they where in mortal peril.

Harry returned to the hidden library within the main library several times he found books on all sorts of interesting things. One book he smuggled out of the library to take to his extra classes with Snape.

"Where did you get this?" Snape demanded after he had scanned the book.

"The library and it wasn't in the restricted section. There's a section of books that are blank to those with out Mage sight. Most of them are handwritten by former teachers who died here. Spell research and the like. Most of it is way over my head. A couple of the books are useful. There's one of just jinxes I copied it. The Author was the charms teacher before Prof. Flitwick. I'm only studying the ones with the counters I already know." Harry said. "There's a couple of them that I won't use unless I have to."

"Define won't use until I have to." Snape snapped at Harry.

"I'm in mortal peril." Harry replied.

"Acceptable I would also like to see this book of jinxes if you don't mind."

"The books are still in the room that is the only one I removed. Go to the section on domestic magic and go all the way back. There's a door there go inside and the books are there." Harry gave him the directions. "It's a normal door you just need mage sight to see it."

"Exploring the castle still?" Snape asked.

"Yeah, do you know that there is a pattern to how the stairs move in the square tower?" Harry asked.

"I am aware of it." Snape commented. "What do you perceive the pattern to be?"

"The person who is in the middle section determines where the stairs move to. Or if there is more then one person what house that majority belong to determines which way the stairs move. If it's a group but no majority the person the lowest in the middle section. Since all the staircases in that tower have 18 steps it's usually the person on the 7th step up from the bottom. Which is only wide enough for one person to stand on." Harry explained.

"Close there are a few other factors that determine movement for those stairways that you missed. For the most part though you have it right." Snape commented. "I'll inform the other heads of house about this room of books. It may be simply that since mage sight is needed to see the door it was considered secure enough as it is a very rare child who has mage sight. If I may ask what prompted your bring this to me?"

"Theory of magic we're covering the disasters of spell use with out knowledge of a safe means of undoing the spells." Harry replied. "Then there are the Weasley twins in my house."

"Ah. They experiment on the younger years?" Snape asked curious.

"On themselves. Everything they try on the others already has a counter." Harry replied. "I also think their mage sight is beginning to come in."

Snape looked at the book in his hand while it is not on anything he would consider dark the spells and potions in the book where definitely in the grey area and he's already noticed a tendency for the Weasley twins to use some grey ingredients in their concoctions. Nothing that would land them in jail but enough to raise flags.

The room of notebooks in the library proved very interesting. Flitwick was pleased with the finding of his predecessor's research notes on various charms and jinxes. The book of jinxes Harry had found had been common when Flitwick was a student at Hogwarts. The hand shrinking jinx wore off fairly quickly on its own. He pronounced the book fairly harmless and since most of the spells had fallen out of use over a century ago it would be a good collection of defense spells for Harry and company since most where easily cast by fourth years.

Professor Flitwick did join Snape and Harry at one of the Wednesday classes to go over the book. It proved to be an interesting class. The hidden library was gone over by each of the Heads of house and the books deemed dangerous removed. That proved to be only a handful. The others where left were they where and no extra security was added.


	7. Holiday

Disclaimer: Don't own them make no money off of this etc.

Harry looked over the notes for his enchanted shoes. He just had to turn them in to Prof. Flitwick today. This would be one of the three permitted enchanted items he was allowed. The enchantments where fairly common. A growing charm that allowed the shoes to expand for his growing feet, a mud, snow, and water repelling charm, and a self polishing charm. The shoes had been ordered through Hermione's parents from a muggle department store. Buying the shoes from the wizarding world would include the charms already so that hadn't been an option. The all leather shoes had been a bit expensive but man made materials didn't take well to being enchanted. The hidden library happened to have a couple of notebooks on basic enchantments which had helped. After the Christmas break they would begin the first enchantments.

Ron and Hermione where both going home for the holidays which would leave him the only student in Gryffindor for the holidays. In fact this year the total number of students staying at Hogwarts over the holidays was 3 including him. The other two where a pair of sisters in Hufflepuff in their 7th and 5th year respectively. They ignored Harry only showing up at meals in the Great Hall. The circular table was back. Several of the teachers where also gone leaving only the heads of house. Snape found Harry in the Hidden library after breakfast. "Mr. Potter might I ask what you are doing here with out Miss Grangers prompting?" Snape asked.

"Desmonda Fly's note books." Harry admitted. "I'm hoping she developed something else other then the Floo for travel. So far the only form of magical travel I like is by broomstick."

"What forms of transportation have you used Mr. Potter? Snape asked.

"I've used the Floo, a Portkey for the World Cup, the Knight bus." Harry replied.

"You have forgotten the Hogwarts Express." Snape informed him.

"That runs on muggle train tracks, Sir." Harry replied.

"I see your point. You will study apparition in you sixth or seventh year. Which will give you another form." Snape said.

"I want a quiet form of travel apparition leaves a loud noise when you use it coming and going. Ron's adult brothers used it when they came home for the World Cup."

"Planning on sneaking out at night Mr. Potter." Snape asked with interest.

"No Sir." Harry admitted.

Snape thought for a minute. "I will over see your research on one condition. You help me research potions in here. One hour of potions research for one hour transportation research."

"What sort of potions are you looking for Sir?" Harry asked.

Snape wrote down a list of ingredients for Harry. "Potions that use at least 75% of these ingredients in its preparation. If you will start with the newer books I will start with the older books."

"What does the potion do that has these ingredients?"

"It's a poison that has no antidote. I am attempting to find something from which to make one. To do that I need to find the originating potion this was developed from. I've already checked all the references in the restricted section plus my own reference library." Snape replied. #### "Bezoar wont do?" Harry asked. #### "It would only slow the affects regrettably."

Harry set the book he was studying on the small table and took the list from Snape. He sorted out the list of past teachers Hermione gave him looked under potions and took his first book down.

Snape looked over his shoulder at the list. "Gregory Weasley taught Charms not potions Mr. Potter."

"Hermione made me check the contents of each book then made this list. Weasley taught charms yes but his hobby was potions." Harry replied.

"His hobby was potions?"

Harry turned to a potion recipe in the middle of a book on charms research. "See."

Snape scanned the potion in question and the accompanying notes. The potion itself was harmless and common. However it was one that was affected by how the ingredients where prepared the heat used and timing. The notes also contained varying the order of the ingredients. "While I doubt Weasley would have anything on that list. Do make sure and if he researched anything with these two ingredients let me know." Snape circled two ingredients which where very variable in how they reacted to other ingredients depending how they where prepared and added.

They spend a pleasant couple of hours in the hidden library. Over the next few days it became the norm for them to meet in the hidden library after breakfast for a couple of hours. Desmonda Fly indeed have other methods of transportation worked out. Though her notes indicated that the methods didn't lend themselves to the sort of travel the Floo network did.

It was Gregory Weasley who had a potion that had all the ingredients. It was a cleaning solution. He didn't go far with it as all his notes indicated that it had a distressing habit of turning to poison with any change.

"You will be taking that list to Prof. Flitwick I hope." Snape asked.

"Hermione first. She'll narrow it down to 2 or 3 do able methods then we'll take it to Prof. Flitwick. We might come back to the others later. But this time the easiest ones are going to be discussed and learned." Harry replied. #### "Why is Miss Granger the arbitrator for this?" Snape asked.

"She knows what we can do and she's already doing 6th year theory of magic. She took her Theory Owl last year." Harry replied.

Snape blinked. "Is she in any more advanced classes?"

"Ancient Runes. Her parents allow her only to be in two advanced classes." Harry replied.

"I wonder why she wasn't sorted Ravenclaw." Snape mused. "It has come to my attention that you have never experienced Solstice Rites. Few practice them these days but the more traditional families."

"You mean the Pureblood families!" Harry snapped.

"Not at all. I simply mean that the old blood families which is any family where one of the lines of descent has been continually magical. Several of these families make it a habit to take under their wing the muggle born. The Weasley's come to mind as well as your Father's family. Most of those families are considered half blood. With only the Weasley's being considered pure blood that I know of.

"I didn't know that." Harry replied.

"There is much about the traditions of the Magical world that you don't know. If you would join me for Solstice Rites I'll begin to rectify that lack of knowledge." Snape told Harry.


	8. Solstice

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Company.

Harry trudged outside in the snow toward then labyrinth to the North of the school in the predawn darkness. The moon had already set and the first hint of dawn was pinking the eastern sky. In the basket Snape instructed him to bring were the herbs to be laid in the fire that evening.

"Excellent you're here early." Snape said with a half smile. He had his own basket of herbs. "What did you bring?"

"Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Christmas roses and Winter aconite. I was able to find all of it fresh by the green houses. You didn't give me any special instructions on harvesting the herbs so I used my shears." Harry replied.

"For this there is no special harvesting instructions. The herbs are simply symbolic and have no particular meaning. Dried herbs and flowers can also be used. Set your basket there." Snape indicated a spot by the entrance to labyrinth. "Our next task is to collect deadwood from the Forbidden forest. A tree fell over near the edge several years ago I've been collecting my solstice wood from it. We only need enough to start a fire. As there are still branches that can be broken by hand we don't need a saw or an axe."

Snape lead the way to the Forbidden forest. The tree was an old oak with gnarled branches. The log had a huge split running down the center that almost went all the way through. A faint glow near were the roots where had Harry investigating. Using a stick he scraped away some of the bark to reveal silvery cocoons about the size of his thumb. "Professor what are these?"

Snape came over to studied them a moment. "I don't know some sort of parasite no doubt." He collected several of the cocoons into a glass jar he kept in his cloak. "I have Prof. Sprout check it out she would know more about it."

They each had collected a bundle of dead branches. Returning to the labyrinth they began to tie the herbs to the branches with string. Here again the type of string didn't matter. Snape had them walk into the center of the labyrinth carrying their baskets of wood and herbs. Snape explained that the object was to focus ones thoughts on renewal and that the method didn't matter. The labyrinth was just his way of doing that as he liked the order of it.

Exiting the labyrinth they took their baskets back to the school. Harry going to his dorm. A house elf was waiting with his lunch. Since the fire in his dorm room fireplace was to burn out naturally he had to stay there to see that an ashwinder didn't come out of the fire. Snape had taught him the spell to freeze the eggs and had given him a metal box to put the ashwinder in if it did appear.

A small ashwinder did appear from the coals of the fire. Barely a foot long Harry levitated it to the box and waited while the ashwinder laid its eggs. When the ashwinder left the fire the last of the coals went out. Harry was rather surprised at this and decided to learn a bit more about the snakes. It only took a half hour for the ashwinder to lay its eggs then crumble to ash. Four thimble sized eggs glowed pale yellow. Carefully Harry cast the freezing charm on each egg. Once that was done he cleaned out the fireplace and laid his wood and herbs ready to be lit. Then he took a long bath and changed into clean clothing.

Carrying the box with the eggs he headed down to Snape's office. "There was an ashwinder Sir. It only laid four eggs."

Snape looked at the eggs in question. "The remains of the fire that birthed the ashwinder went cold when it left the fireplace?" He asked.

"Yes," Harry replied.

"Excellent. These are some of the rarest of Ashwinder eggs and the deadliest. Magical fires usually don't go out on there own so the potential for these eggs is rare. The type of magical fire dictates the use of the eggs. These eggs will go to Madame Pomfrey's brewing lab for burn ointments." Snape said pleased.

Once the eggs where safely put away. Snape indicated several games on his desk. Since they had to stay up until dawn it was one way to keep them occupied. The house elves brought them a meal around midnight. Around 2 in the morning Harry yawned he was getting sleepy and he knew he had at least 5 hours more to go before dawn.

"You are more then welcome to sleep until its time to light the New Years fire. Children are not expected to stay up all night. Usually those your age stay up until midnight or so then sleep until an hour or so before the fire is lit. Those who are ill or with other infirmities also can sleep."

"Is coffee allowed?" Harry asked. "I'd like to try and stay up all night."

"Yes coffee is allowed. However if I deem you to tired to stay up you will nap on the cot." Snape transfigured a straight backed wooden chair into an army cot with a rough wool blanket and a lumpy pillow.

The coffee helped and Harry made it to dawn and the ritual lighting of the first fire of the year. Snape used flint and steel to start the fire explaining that traditionally magic was not used. He blew gently on the smoldering coal to get it to take. Once it had caught he added the wood and herbs until there was a sweet smelling smoke. "Now with this fire going well we will light all the other fires from it." Snape collected some metal pans with long handles. "When you get to your dorm and the chosen fire place you will lay the coals on the fire. Making sure that it has caught well. The house elves will light rest of the fires. Once it's burning on its own you will eat breakfast then go to bed. No one will expect you until after lunch."

Harry carried the pan with the coals up to his dorm. Prof. McGonagall was waiting for him. She had her own pan. Though hers was empty. She followed him into the dorm and watched him make up the fire. Once it was burning well she took a few coals from his fire for her own.

"It's good that you're learning the old traditions to many are forgetting them these days." She said. "Eat your breakfast then go to bed. I'll have a house elf bring you lunch if you miss it."

Harry slept until just after 2 in the afternoon. Since the day was clear he decided to take his broom and go flying. As he was exiting the castle Prof. Sprout came running up to him. "Good Mr. Potter just the person I want to see. Prof. Snape said you where the one to find the cocoons. I need you to show me where?"

"I was in the Forbidden forest with Prof. Snape." Harry explained.

"So he told me. However he is currently brewing a pesticide for blood moths which is what those cocoons where. I need to see how extensive that infestation is. Come spring if they hatch the forest is grave danger not to mention the green houses." Sprout said clearly flustered at the thought.

"Let me put my broom away Professor and I will be right back." Harry raced up to the dorm put his broom away then came down to show Sprout where the downed oak was. Since there where more shadows in the forest at this time of day Harry saw more things glowing with magic. Prof. Sprout quite cheerfully gave Harry the Latinate names of what he was seeing. None of it was particularly dangerous to either students or the school.

Near the tree there was a unicorn mare heavily pregnant. Sprout stopped and let Harry continue on by himself. The mare nuzzled him for a few minutes then left. "That was a rare sight I'll have to inform Hagrid about it. How close to the that downed oak are we?"

"There," Harry indicated the tree.

"Oh the Twisted oak. I used to take acorns from it to plant in my Grandfather's garden. This was long before you or Professor Snape where students here. Newt Level Herbology classes used to come out here and collect unusual seedlings and plants. When Prof. Dumbledore took over as Headmaster the entire forest became off limits. There was a rumor that the oak had been planted over the grave of Salazar Slytherin that's why it was so twisted. Now where are those blood moth cocoons you found?"

Harry showed her the spot scrapping more of the bark away to reveal the cocoons. "Yesterday morning they glowed now they don't." Harry explained.

"They use magic to stay warm enough in their cocoons at night that is what you saw." Prof. Sprout commented." _Appareo cruor matris_." There was a tiny flick of Prof. Sprout's wand and a gentle swirl of silver spun out. Where ever it paused for a few seconds a bunch of dots of light was revealed. As they investigated each grouping they found more cocoons. "Not as bad as I thought. However I am going to have to check the greenhouses. Would you be willing to assist me Mr. Potter early tomorrow morning when the cocoons still glow of magic?"

"If you'll teach me the spell you used." Harry said promptly. "It is a class use spell?"

"_Appareo_ is a class use spell much like _mobili_ and is taught in fifth year. I'll have a chat with Prof. Flitwick about you learning it." Prof. Sprout agreed.

**Authors Note: **Appareo cruor matris means Appear blood moth. Class Use spells are spells that have a command in front of either an object like a tree or shoes.


	9. Moths, Mice and Snake Bite

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter and Company.

The next morning Harry got out of bed before dawn dressed and met Prof. Sprout by the door closest to the greenhouses. The Mills sisters where there as well as the other heads of house. Harry and the Mills sisters where to check out green houses 1, 3 and 4 as there where few plants that would attract the Blood Moths in them.

"Prof. Sprout why do I have to be here?" whined Annie Mills. "Because the Earth gift runs in your family and you are showing signs of it already, Miss Mills." Prof. Sprout said.

"Great just great," Annie complained. "Da and Grandpa are just going to love it. They're going to make me learn how to run the farm. I hate farming!"

"There are many other skills that Earth Sense can be used for not just farming." Snape replied. "I myself have the earth affinity and your potion grades are acceptable enough to earn yourself an apprenticeship with one of the old school masters if you don't make an O on your OWLs."

"Curse breaking is also a skill that Earth sense is useful for." Prof. McGonagall said.

"I've got the affinity Annie and I like farming." Lexie Mills reminded her sister. "I'm also older then you."

"This isn't getting rid of those horrid Blood Moths. To the green houses." Prof. Sprout commanded. Once they had arrive at the green houses the teachers head to the green houses holding rare and delicate plants. "You three are to check as a group. Lexie you are in charge. I'll be in greenhouse 12 if you need me."

They started in greenhouse 1 as that one only held plants that had little magic in them. Harry took the potted plants the first years had going. He found the faint after glow of some sort of magic and it was fading fast. "Over here I've spotted something."

Lexie Mills came over. "What did you see?" She asked. Prof. Sprout had told her that Harry had mage sight and could see the magic.

"The after glow of some sort of magic. I'm not sure what sort. It's gone now." Harry admitted.

"It's still to cold in here for Blood Moth cocoons to drop their magic. How big was the signature?" Lexie asked.

"Mouse size. I remember something about a teleporting mouse." Harry commented.

"Timmons Mouse. Annie are you feeling any of the plants gnawed on?" She asked her sister.

"Yes," Annie said as she closed her eyes. "Over near were you are." Came the answer after a few minutes.

Lexie murmured a spell and all the plants that have been gnawed on showed up with a bright purple glow. "Look for droppings near the plants that glow. Prof. Sprout can use them to back track to the nest."

Annie found the first droppings she scooped them up with a trowel and put them in a glass jar. "It doesn't matter if they're mixed." She told Harry when he found some.

With greenhouse 1 complete they moved on to greenhouse 4. Harry, this time being assigned the tool cupboard. There he found some of the tools knocked down. He knew that the day before everyone left for the holiday all the tools had been neatly put away. Prof. Sprout always assigns two students to see that they are and that day it had been Neville and himself who had been the two so chosen. Seeing no glow of magic around any of the tools he begins to put them back. Righting a bucket he feels a sharp pain in his left hand. When he looked in that direction he saw an common adder. He hissed for the snake to be still. "Lexie get Prof. Sprout and Snape." He yelled out the door.

"Potter?" Annie asked from the door way.

"Common adder. It bit me." Harry replied. He had to hiss at the snake to stay still again.

"Right." Annie backed out of the room and closed the door. Harry left inside the storage cupboard with the snake tried to find something he could put the snake in. The bucket would work but it had no lid. There wasn't much else to use unless he wanted to kill it.

About ten minutes later Snape came to the door. "Do you have the snake secured?" He asked through it.

"Could you transfigured a cage for it. Most of the stuff in here isn't usable as a base material." Harry asked.

"Give me a moment." Snape said. A minute later the door opened a crack and a tiny cage floated over to Harry. Harry enlarged it and levitated the angry snake into it closing the lid tightly. "It's secure." He said opening the door all the way.

Snape cast a quick spell on then snake. "Common adder, excellent identification. Were where you bitten?"

"Left hand as I was picking up the water bucket." Harry extended his left hand. It was beginning to swell.

"I take it you have not taken the universal antivenom potion?" Snape asked.

"Didn't know such a thing existed." Harry replied.

"It renders you immune to common snake venom like that of the adder, cobra, and other snakes common to the Eurasian continent. Australia and New Zealand have a different version as do North and South America. Africa's version is similar to that of the Eurasian version." Snape replied. "Being a parselmouth should give you a partial immunity already. Since the common adder venom is not that toxic I'm going to place a monitoring charm on you and you can continue with what you are doing. However if you feel any dizziness send for me immediately."

"What about the snake?" Harry asked.

"Gravid female." Snape said after a quick spell on the snake. "Leave it in plain sight for now with a low grade warming charm on the cage and I'll have Hagrid come and get it to put with the other snakes kept for ingredients.

Harry finished with the cupboard and they moved on to greenhouse 5. That one was a water garden. He remembered spending most of second year in this greenhouse. It was the only one with an anteroom where they had changed out of their winter things.

By lunch time the snake bite was just two punctures on the back of his hand. Madam Pomfrey had checked him over and pronounced him fine. Harry went back to his tower to take a nap. There was cold sleet falling outside and he felt a little achy.

At dinner Snape handed Harry a book on Australian Aboriginal Wizards and Witches. "Sir?"

"The Aborigines are about the only people to have any in-depth knowledge of parseltongue. While it isn't much it is magic of the light there." Snape replied. "I'd like the book back when you are done with it. It belongs in the Slytherin library. Parselmouthes are usually sorted to Slytherin as it requires two magical parents for the gift to show up."

"What's the difference between a gift and an affinity?" Harry asked.

"A gift is the one bit of truth about magic that the so called pure bloods have to back up their belief. As a gift requires both parents be magical. However that includes muggle born parents as well." Snape replied.

"An affinity on the other is just that an affinity for a certain class magic. The affinities are Earth which is further subdivided into wood and metal, water, fire and air. If a couple each with the earth affinity marry there is a good chance that their child will be born with the Earth Gift." Dumbledore explained. "A muggle born has as much chance of having an affinity as wizard born."

"If people where bred like animals then the so called pure bloods would have something to stand on." Prof. Flitwick commented. "It's much like breeding a specific trait in cats say for black fur. Breeding 2 black cats will get you some black kittens breed only the black kittens to other black cats the percentage of kittens that will be black goes up."

"I think I get the picture." Harry said with a grin.


	10. Hermione Attacked

Disclaimer: Don't Own them.

Author's Note: Words in bold are Written communication.

The holidays over the students arrived back at Hogwarts. Harry presented his research to Hermione on alternative transportation methods. She took it and further pared it down to three different forms. Harry per his agreement with Snape took the three down to him for final approval.

By the first of February Snape had returned the three with a few notes on precautions to take when they began further research into actually using the spells. With the second of the Gryffindor Quidditch games coming up the team began practicing every other day. Snape to allow for it changed the mage sight class he taught Harry to Sunday afternoons. Since no team was alowed to use the Pitch on Sundays.

Hermione roped in Harry for a bit of private research concerning how the figures in the paintings could move between paintings. That didn't take long as Harry was only able to tell her that there was a connection between the portraits but not how they where connected. Exploration of the castle continued with Harry finding a Dueling studio one of several in the school. It was Prof. Flitwick who found Harry in the one dedictated to the students in Ravenclaw. He gave Harry a short demonstration of the formal art of dueling explaining how the competion worked. He asked Harry if he was interested in learning the skill.

Harry turned him down the sport to him sounded much like muggle boxing his male relatives enjoyed watching on the Telly. Only with Wizards they used spells and it was illegal to physically touch your oppenent. As with all magical sports witches competed on an equal footing with wizards. An atitude that some muggle borns seemed to have trouble with.

During Quidditch practice Katie Bell was hit by a bludger breaking her arm. The captain detailed Harry to escort her to the infirmary. There Harry found Hermione lying on one of the beds clearly cursed. Two seventh years where there as well giving a brief report on how and were they found her.

Madam Pomfrey called Harry over to study the lines of magic of the three intermingled curses. He was instructed to find were each curse began and were they ended. It took him some time to trace as where the actually started was under the tangled mess of the lines of the curses. One was a color he had never seen before and it kept growing stronger enlarging the entanglement with each moment.

When he reported it to Madam Pomfrey, Katie Bell swore. "Miss Bell language please." warned Madam Pomfrey.

"It's the weakening curse." Katie explained. "It eats at the victims magic until they are rendered a squib."

"Not quite Miss Bell the weakening curse is reversible and has been for several centuries. However myth keeps people from seeking help." Madam Pomfrey told them. "Mr. Potter do you see any other curses or spells at all?"

"Just the one for the monhly thing girls do." Harry replied.

"That will be all Mr. Potter you may go unless you are injured?" Pomfrey asked.

"No injuries," Harry replied.

"Tell your Head of House that Miss Granger will be in the infirmary for several days as I unwind the curses. Miss Bell what is wrong with your arm?" Pomfrey asked.

"Bludger hit it. Broken I think." Katie replied.

"Miss Campell, Mr Stewart you may go."

Harry returned to the pitch after informing McGonagall of the incident with Hermione. By that time practice was over. So after showers he and Ron made a stop in the infirmary to see Hermione. By this time she was bald.

"How are you doing Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Pixies are pink." Hermione responded. She held up a small slate. **Curse makes me say weird things.** She had written on it. Wiping it off she used a piece of chalk to write. **It's going to take a few days to wear off. No counter to it.**

"So you can't do magic." Ron said.

"Hermione shook her head then wrote. **It will be weeks before I can use magic. Weakening curse.**

"That's a dark curse!" protested Ron.

"Madam Pomfrey said it was reversible." Harry told him.

"I know it is but still." protested Ron.

"What about your hair is that going to be regrown magically?" Harry asked trying to change the subject.

**That will be regrown tomorrow or the day after.** Hermione wrote.

"Who did this?" Harry asked.

**Don't know.** She wrote. **BBC English**

"Hermione you aren't making any sense." Ron said.

"It's a muggle thing Ron. Wireless and Television announcers use it to cover up accents so they are easily understood. Actors do the same thing. It means we can't track the guy by his accent. Like Seamus and you having different accents." Harry explained.

"Of course we have different accents we where raised on different islands." Ron stated the obvious.

"I see you have visitors Miss Granger. I have informed your teachers of your absence for the next few days. Mr. Philips will bring you your Runes Home work and Miss Tate will bring you your Theory of magic Home work. Miss Patil will bring you your Arthimancy homework. For the rest Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley will bring you the rest."

**Thank you Professor. **Hermione wrote.

The Professor went into Madam Pomfrey's office to get the report of the cursing. Harry excused himself and headed to the Library. Most of the seventh years where there at this time of night. He was looking for a particular pair. He found them in a group of other Slytherins including the boy who had found Hermione.

"What do you want Potter?" snapped John Thomas.

"Samuel Brown. I think he just got Hermione. 3 curses a weakening curse that Ron claims is dark arts, a balding curse, and one that messes up how you talk. The signatures the same in all of them." Harry said.

"Brown is a menace to every thing he attacks were he pleases and who he pleases." Andrea pointed out. "He attacks pure blood and muggle born alike. The thing is we can't catch him in the act."

"True. Do you have an idea Potter?"

"Bait me under polyjuice." Harry said. "What I need from you is to talk to the ones in slytherin who got hit. See if he has a pattern."

"Since Brown's victims end up in the hospital wing I'm in on this my little brother will start Hogwarts next year. He has an affinity for metals." Thomas said.

"Do you have access to polyjuice?" asked one of the 7th years in the group.

"Hermione can brew it again."

"That witch has to be from an Oddish family there is no way she is muggle born." muttered another.

Harry filed that thought away for now and got the agreement of the 7th year Slytherins to help in his hunt for Samuel Brown.


	11. Lizards, Cats and Ritual

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Company.

Harry went to Snape's office instead of the potion's class room for his Wednesday mage sight class. There on the desk was a lone potion vial. A stack of scrolls Snape was correcting. And a cage with a strange greenish gray snake in it.

Snape looked up when Harry got to the desk. "A single dose of Universal Snake Venom Antidote. Please drink it." he ordered Harry as he capped a bottle of red ink.

Harry picked up the vial, uncorked it and downed the potion quickly. He blinked strawberries. The potion tasted of strawberries. "Strawberry flavored Anti-venom?"

"The strawberry flavoring comes from crushed strawberries. Which do not react to the neutral ingredients that make up the potion. Hence flavoring the potion is simply finding a flavor that wont react and adding it." Snape informed him.

"Wished more potions could be flavored." Harry grumbled remembering the Skele-gro he had to take his second year. "What kind of snake is that?"

"It's a Glass Lizard from the central United States. Lack of legs not with standing. I'm attempting to see if I can breed them for there tails." Snape explained.

"Are they hermaphrodites?" Harry asked.

"No, I've three females already. This male was delivered today. I am curious to know if you're ability with Parseltongue would allow you to communicate with it."

Snape mused.

"I'll give it a try. What do you want me to say to it?" Harry asked.

"At the moment nothing as the lizard is hibernating. When the weather is warm enough for them to be active then I will have you attempt to communicate with it. Until then would you mind telling me why you went to the Slytherin 7th years about Miss Granger's attack?" Snape asked in a puzzled voice.

"Hermione wasn't the only one attacked. When I was serving my detention with Madam Pomfrey a girl from Hufflepuff was brought in by a pair of Slytherin 7th year girls. Madam Pomfrey had me use my mage sight to trace the hexes used. Later when Hermione was attacked Madame Pomfrey had me do the same for her. I noticed the signature of the magic was the same." Harry Explained.

"Why would you go to Slytherin instead of Hufflepuff?" queried Snape.

"I wanted to know if there had been attacks like the Hufflepuff girl and Hermione to Slytherin students." Harry replied.

"You do remember that Madam Pomfrey has mage sight as well. She has reported this to the heads of house and the Headmaster. We are on the look out for the person who is doing this." Snape said coolly.

"I remember. However not all students go to Madam Pomfrey if they get hexed." Harry explained. "I want to include those students as well."

"I see, This was Miss Granger's idea I take it." Snape asked curious.

"Ron's actually." Harry replied.

"Mr. Weasley? He doesn't strike me as the type to think of something like this." Snape commented.

Harry bristled for a minute at Snape's remark then said. "He's trying to see if there is a pattern to the attacks and not just the a pattern of the victims. One thing he has found out already is that there is a random Jelly Legs Jinx being cast on the fourth floor by the Backwards Staircase. He thinks it's the suit of armor that stands there. It glows faintly purple to me."

"He's certain of that?" Snape asked interested.

"Yes he is." Harry answered.

"I'll have to investigate when I have time. Any other patterns the teachers and the Headmaster should know about?" Snape asked.

"Not yet. Was there a reason why we are meeting here and not the class room like usual?" Harry asked.

"It seems the pest problem isn't over with yet. The Headmaster has asked each Head of House to go through their section of the castle checking the wards specific to that house. There are specific wards to keep pests out. You will accompany each Head of House as they make that inspection. For tonight you will accompany me on my inspection tour." Snape explained.

Harry followed Snape as he lead the way down past the entrance Slytherin common room to the point were the passageway split off into three other passageways. "This is the point where Hufflepuff and Slytherin wards meet. Those two passages are Hufflepuff territory." Snape indicated the passages to the front and left.

They took the right hand passageway and quickly came to a stairway that led down. When they reached the bottom of the staircase they had descended four floors. "This is the lowest accessible level. There are two more below this one with access points in the Headmaster's Tower." Snape explained.

"The Chamber of Secrets is I think further down below. It's accessible through Moaning Myrtles Bathroom." Harry said.

"Which is in the Headmaster's Tower." Snape told him. "This level was formerly used as an escape route for the students if the castle was attack. Then it was used for food storage. Now it's empty the castle itself has sealed the storage rooms.

The glow of magic from the castle walls giving them enough light to see with. As the rounded a corner Harry noticed a trio of cat like creatures attacking what looked like a mole the size of a terrier. "What are they?" he asked.

Slytherin Cats. Their purpose is to hunt the rodents in these lower levels. Slytherin himself bred them to this and bound them to the castle. He was a noted Beast master in his day." Snape explained. "Regrettable they can't be removed from the castle."

"Some how I always thought Slytherin as a potions master like you." Harry commented.

"When the castle was built wizards and witches did different types of magic. Hufflepuff was the castles potion mistress. Ravenclaw taught charms. Slytherin was the beast master and Gryffindor was the Herbology instructor. I take it you have never read _Hogwarts, a History_?" Snape asked.

"No." Harry replied.

"Then consider it added to your mage sight studies. One chapter a week. I will quiz you on what you have read." Snape promised.

They approached a passageway with iron bars across it. There Harry caught a glimpse of pale silver tail as it went into a hole. "I saw a glowing silver tail in that direction." pointed Harry. "Snake of some kind I think."

"Silver snake you say?" questioned Snape

"Is it a pest?" asked Harry.

"Mr. Potter consider yourself very lucky. You are among the handful of people who have seen a glimpse of a silver viper." Snape grinned. "They are a created beast of purely magical origin."

"Did Slytherin create them?" Harry asked.

"No, myth has it that Merlin was the creator of the viper." Snape explained.

Turning a last corner they came to the wards. There was a knot of painfully bright color in the wards near the roof of the passage which at this point became a natural cavern. Snape murmured spells and made elaborate gestures with his wand. Some of which caused one color or another to grow brighter or dim.

"Damn. Mr. Potter I want you to go to the Slytherin Common room and get all of the seventh years and all of the sixth years who are of age" Snape ordered when he finished his spell work. He reached into his pocket and drew out a snake carving handing it to Harry. "This will get you inside just touch it to the door. Hand it to the prefect on duty. It should be one of the sixth years. Tell him what I have told you then lead them back to this place."

"Yes Sir." Harry took off running. He followed Snape's instructions to the letter. The prefect was a girl. She touched her wand to her prefects badge and with in minutes all of the Slytherin prefects where in the common room. Harry told them what Snape had told him. They in turn collected all of the other 6th and 7th years.

The Slytherins followed Harry back to were Snape was. Once there Harry blinked the knot was now visible to every one. "As you can see the wards in this section of the castle have been compromised. This is what has lead to our vermin problem. To fix it I am going to lead you in the repair ritual in which you will lend me the magic to repair the wards. Most of you have already done some ritual work when you lent me the magic to strengthen the wards on the Slytherin common room and dormitories. This ritual is very similar. Form a half circle with me at the center. Mr. Potter if the wards fade from sight I want you to tell Mr. Warren. Mr. Warren if Mr. Potter tells you that they have faded from sight you are to cast the spell that makes them visible understood."

The students got into position. A low chant by the students with their wands pointed at Snape. Harry too a quick look as he felt the magic rise. Each wand had a stead beamof light going to the tip of Snape's wand. When it was almost to bright to see Snape turned and began to repair the wards."

"Potter do you see the wards?" hissed Warren quietly.

"Yes, very faint." Harry told him. While he spoke the wards grew brighter and Warren could see them. Never through the repair did they totally fade out of normal visible sight. When it was over Snape had Warren escort Harry back to the Gryffindor common room. He had given Harry a note that excused him from his morning classes since it was nearly three in the morning when they finished.

**Author's Note:** Glass Lizards are real. Go here to check them out.


	12. Meeting

**Disclaimer**: I Don't own them.

Harry met Prof. Sprout in her office Friday night before the Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. She smiled warmly at him. "Unlike Prof. Snape I'll have you back to Gryffindor before midnight. My house has a tendency to attract those with an affinity to Earth magics. That includes those with beast tongue. You being a Parselmouth have a form of beast tongue. It would be wise to see if you can communicate with related creatures. Those capable of speaking to Dragons are rare indeed. I know of only one living. There are some small lizards in the desert green house and amphibians in the water garden."

"I'm kind of busy right now, and Prof. Snape has me scheduled for that later this year." Harry said.

"That's fine. I believe Prof. Snape started were the wards of Hufflepuff and Slytherin meet correct?" she asked.

"Yes, but I didn't see any magic there." Harry replied as he followed Prof. sprout

"I would have been surprised if you did. Only those with fully mature mage sight would see anything. Even then they'd have to look carefully." When they arrived at the junction of the four passageways Two adults where waiting. "John Beckett and Marcus Ryan my apprentices. This is Harry Potter, Prof. Snape's apprentice. Mr. Ryan what do you see?" Asked Prof. Sprout.

"The lines aren't straight and smooth like they should be. Though the green and white lines are the straightest." Ryan replied.

"Green and White are Slytherin wards and have been repaired. We will work from this point until we reach the point were Hufflepuff and Gryffindor meet. Mr. Potter I want you to tell me when you begin to see the wards." Sprout ordered.

Harry had studied the Marauders map in preparation for this outing so he knew they where headed out toward the walls surrounding the school. "I see a thin line of yellow. It fades in and out though." Harry told her.

"The wards here are plaited what you are seeing are were the yellow ward is plaited into the others hiding it." Sprout told him. "Tell me when you begin to see more colors."

Harry concentrated on his vision trying to see more colors. Slowly more of the colors became visible. They now came to passageways that ran parallel to the walls. These contained storage rooms each neatly labeled. Then the laundries two for each house. Three separate kitchens.

"Mr. Potter the two small kitchens are not to be accessed by students. The main kitchen is open to students as long as they are in their dormitories by curfew." Sprout warned.

The two small kitchens hadn't been on the Marauder's map at all. "Yes Prof. Sprout." Harry replied.

As the lines of the wards got clear Sprout and her apprentices would stop once and a while to murmur quiet spells that seemed to straighten out the lines. When they reached the cavern that the first years arrived at Harry saw a glowing knot like that in the dungeons at the escape route.

"Ryan if you would please all of the student who are of age minus the quidditch team." Ryan took off at a run. Beckett began to clear the floor. Prof. Sprout had Harry go with her. "Tell me when you can't see the wards please." Harry did so. Just outside the main hall Filch was waiting for them. "Mr. Potter please write up what you saw for Prof. Snape. Filch escort Mr. Potter to Gryffindor. Good Night." said as she returned to where the knot of messed up wards was.

Harry followed Filch up the stairs to Gryffindor tower stifling a yawn. The clock tower rang 11:15. One thing Harry noticed was that the staircases were not moving. He found that unusual during his late night forays the staircases where always moving.

In the Common room the 6th year prefect was waiting for him. "You're to go straight to bed and sleep in until 8 breakfast will be brought to you when you wake up. Prof. McGonagall's orders." the prefect ordered.

"I have to write up what I saw. Sprout's orders." Harry said. "I'll be done before midnight."

"Make it fast." the prefect said as he lead Harry to a table with a bunch of 7th years. The prefect handed Harry parchment, ink and a quill.

Harry did a rough a rough sketch of each floor marking rooms that he saw things in that related to the wards. He then rolled it up and went to bed. As he was undressing he saw Crookshanks with a large rat in his mouth. He mused if he should suggest getting a couple of mousers for the dorms to Professor McGonagall.

As promised there was a tray waiting for him when he woke up. Grilled mushrooms, black pudding, beans and tomatoes. He ate quickly. The team was waiting on him. They needed to enchant their uniforms with warming, weather repelling, and sticking charms. The game would be played in foul weather and this year Harry had to cast most of his own spells.

From the moment they went out on the pitch until the last seconds of the game it was hard fought. Hufflepuff had an experienced team with no new members. The hunt for the snitch turned into a race that only Harry's Firebolt with it's extra speed let them win.

Sunday morning Ron woke Harry up early. "I found the pattern in the attacks."

"Right," grumbled Harry. He had wanted a bit of a lay in today. "You're going to tell the teachers right."

"We have a meeting with them in an hour." Ron replied.

Harry dressed then followed Ron down to the common room were the prefects and Hermione waited. She had gotten out of the infirmary Thursday evening.

"Do I get breakfast first?" asked Harry.

"There will be breakfast served at the meeting." a prefect said.

They went to a conference room under the Headmaster's office. The Heads of House where there as well as all the other prefects and the Head Boy and Girl. While they ate Dumbedore covered the usual things the prefects covered at this monthly meeting. Once the food had been cleared away.

"Mr. Weasley if you would please." Dumbledore called on Ron.

Ron took out his notes then cast a spell to transfer certain things to the blackboard there. "The attacks on the students cover all years. The first grouping was the 1st and 2nd years and the majority of the attacks where on Gryffindor and Slytherin students. Each attack followed this pattern 3 minor hexes which when combined made the effects worse. Most 6th and 7th years are capable of undoing these. I believe every 1st year in each of these house was attacked at least once. That took care of September. In October the attacker moved on to 3rd and 4th years and the focus was on those that where showing signs of an affinity or gift." Ron explained.

A Slytherin prefect asked. "Does Blood Status play any part?"

"In September those who had been attacked twice where either muggle born or those with only one magical parent. With the 3rd and 4th years it didn't matter the focus was on those with affinities or gifts emerging. In Novemember the 5th and 6th years where the targets. Though the younger years where still targeted if they showed a gift. By December the 7th years where on the list."

"Since Samuel Brown is suspected of carrying out the hexing and he is only a 5th year. How is he doing this?" A Ravenclaw prefect asked.

"Concealment and near silent or silent casting. However unless Brown has a time turner from Mid November on he couldn't of done half of the attacks." Ron Explained. "Specially the ones on the older students."

"Mr. Brown does not have a time turner through the school." Prof. Flitwick commented. "Headmaster, the time wards?"

Dumbledore closed his eyes a moment then opened them. "Unaffected. All time turners are accounted for and no excessive use has been recorded."

Ron took up the explanation again pointing out when and were each attack occurred. He highlighted those he thought Brown did and those he though where done by the second attacker. He also commented that the pest problem had begun in Mid November with an increase in the number of rats in the castle.

The 5th year female prefect from Hufflepuff asked. "What about the Jelly Legs Jinxes that happen on the fourth floor by the backward stairs? Several of the victims had their set of hexes start with that one?"

"I believe it is the suit of armor that's been enchanted to throw that one randomly." Ron said.

Dumbledore starts. "Oh dear it's still enchanted? I'm afraid I am the culprit behind that one. I enchanted it in my 7th year. I'll remove the enchantment immediately after the meeting is over."

Every head in the room turned to Dumbledore in surprise. Madame Pomfrey sighed. "A few minor bruises have been the results of that suit of armor."

"Weasley would _Priori incantateum_ reveal the attacker?" asked one of the Gryffindor prefects.

Ron turned to Madam Pomfrey. "Where the signatures all the same in the list of victims I gave you?" he asked.

"Yes and No. The same wand was used Willow and Unicorn hair. The signatures where comparable to a Master teaching an apprentice a new spell." She told them.

"Not enough difference then." Ron said.

Madam do you recognize the signature of the master?" Dumbledore asked.

"It's no student I ever treated while I've worked here." Madam Pomfrey said.

The meeting turned to catching one of the attackers in the act. Here Hermione brings up several plans. While she is explaining the possibilities of each Harry's eye wander around the room his eyes catching a glimpse of something silver. He turned his head to see the Silver Viper strike at a rat. He hissed at it to stop in Parseltongue putting all his will behind it. The rat is as large a Pettigrew in his Animagus form and the same color.

"Potter?" snapped Snape angry at the interruption.

"Prof. McGonagall if you would please cast the spell to return an Animagus to their human form on the rat." Harry asked he's eyes never leaving the rat. The silver viper left it's dead dying prey behind.

Puzzled McGonagall does so. "It's just a rat Mr. Potter. Why did you have me cast that spell on it?"

"Peter Pettigrew is a Rat Animagus." Harry told them. "If the wards where open to allow pests like rats in. Could an Animagus in his animal form come through the wards undetected?"

"I'm not sure? There are few Animagi around registered or not. Prof. Flitwick your thoughts?" McGonagall turned to the Flitwick.

"I don't know either. Would you agree to be a test subject for a trial?" Flitwick asked.


	13. Interlude

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Company. J. K. Rowling does.

Author's Note: Anything in _Italics _is quoted text from a book.

Author's Note 2: Hogwarts has a number of Formal Clubs. Chess and Gobstones are both acknowledged clubs. Choir and Instrumental music clubs. The Curse Breaker's Club which is open to 5th years and above. It deals with minor cursed objects sent to it by various magical people.

After the meeting Hermione went to her Ancient Runes study group and Ron after he put his notes away went to the his chess club leaving Harry to fend for himself for entertainment . Since the weather was miserable he decided to head to one of the secret rooms he found. The one he had in mind had trunks full of interesting things. Since he didn't want to stop for lunch half way through exploration he headed to the kitchen to pick up some sandwiches and a thermos of tea. An elf named Finny made him sandwiches, packed a couple of bake-well tarts and an ever filled thermos of tea.

The room he wanted to explore was just off the Grey Lady's Garden at the foot of Ravenclaw tower. He crossed the empty garden glad that some enterprising wizard had covered the garden over with a glass roof so it was dry. From what Hermione had said this was the place Rowena Ravenclaw grew her most delicate plants. Now it housed some dwarf citrus trees. He slipped behind the statue of some former Ravenclaw head of house though no name was ever given for the statue. The lock is similar to a puzzle box that you have to move the stones in the mosaic in a certain pattern. It had taken him several days to figure it out.

The when the door opened he slipped in and closed it behind him. A whispered word had the lamps in the room light up giving him plenty of light to see by. The room was as he left it. He set his lunch on the table then headed to the first trunk. He took a deep breathe concentrated on his mage sight. No magic on the chest good he opened it. Dozens of small identical boxes fit neatly inside . He took one out and opened it at random. A dozen crystal bottles. He lifted one out to see if it was labeled. It was. Asp of Fire was what the label said. It contained what looked like ash. Another in the same box was labeled Blood of Unicorn willing given. It shown a lovely silver.

He'll have to bring Snape here to check out the box. It just may be old potion's ingredients, the labels said different. The next trunk was what he thought to be witches clothing. The clothing all had the faint light of preservation charms on them. At least he thought they where a witch's he couldn't imagine a wizard wearing them. He closed that trunk. The third chest was books that had no magic on them. He opened one at random.

_On this day the year of our Lord 1251 on Candlemas I put pen to parchment to record the words of our Seer, Brother Thomas of Bethwyck._

The book recorded the prophecy in what Harry had come to accept as 13th century English yet the words before and after the prophecy where in formal clearly understandable if a bit archaic Modern English. There was a footnote at the end of the prophecy that stated simply Fulfilled. He flipped through the pages to find a boil cure recipe different from the one taught in potions. The observations on a faint comet in the night sky to the east just before Sunrise. A recipe for mead and three for beer. Several orders for Wool cloth from Scarbough Faire. A second Prophecy by the Seer, Brother Thomas. The breeding of a pair of Gryphons and the number of eggs in the clutch.

Harry placed that book aside and took out another one. Different handwriting and it is mostly in Latin. He set it aside his Latin is up to translating it. A third book is one of simply accounting. It lists tithes paid to Hogwarts from 1362 to 1365.

_3 haunches of Vension by Duncan of Clan McGowan_

_ 1 tun of Ale by John Smythe of Bath_

Harry flips through the pages. The entries make interesting reading but not what he wanted to find. He put the books back and closed the trunk mentally labeling that trunk accounts and diaries. Several other trunks reveal more clothing both mens and womens. The trunk of books that was next contained dates from about 1589 to 1643. The account books are very similar to the ones from the first trunk. After careful exploration he comes to the conclusion that there are roughly 5 trunks of clothing to 1 trunk of books. With Harry finding 2 more trunks of potions ingredients.

When the bell for tea rings at 4 Harry closed everything, collected his thermos and the food wrappings and headed to the great hall for tea. He set the thermos on and empty food wrappings on the small table just inside the door. He notes he wasn't the only one who collected food from the elves that day. Snape was alone at the head table so Harry went up to him.

"Professor Snape," he called politely.

"Mr. Potter?" Snape queried.

"I found a room off the Grey Lady's Garden. It's behind the statue of the nameless Ravenclaw head of house. It's loaded with trunks. Most are clothing from centuries ago but three contain what I think are weird potion's ingredients. I read the labels on two of the bottles. One was labeled Asp of Fire and the other was Unicorn Blod Freely given. After that I didn't do anything with those trunks." Harry told him.

"There are three potions that use Unicorn blood that is freely given. All three are last ditch healing potions. What was in the bottle?" Snape asked intrigued.

"Silverly liquid. I couldn't tell if it was Unicorn Blood or not. The Asp of Fire contained what looked like ashes similar to what the ashwinder left over Christmas." Harry replied. "There was also books from about the 13th century to the late 18th. A couple had potions recipes in them though most where account books." Harry explained.

"Did you manage to get your homework done?" Snape asked.

"I don't have anything due this week. It's mostly practicals and reading." Harry replied.

"How do you know that?" Snape asked.

"Ron and his patterns." Harry grinned.

"Go have your Tea." Snape dismissed him.

At that time Prof. McGonagall arrived. "Good Mr. Potter. We will be checking the wards at First light please bring your broom with you. Unlike Slytherin and Hufflepuff the Gryffindor wards are out side." McGonangall ordered.

"Yes, Prof. McGonagall." Harry acknowledged her. Then he headed to the Gryffindor table for some tea and yes, scones with Devonshire cream and jam.


	14. Gryffindor Wards

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did.

Author's Note: I'm using the British way of numbering floors. Ground floor, then 1st floor, etc.

Harry met up with Prof. McGonagall a the main entrance to the castle with his broom as required. McGonagall wore trousers instead of her usual long skirts. Her broom was of an unknown make not a racing broom at all. "Excellent you are on time. I'm going to cast a warming charm on you Mr. Potter. It is truly cold out there. The sky is clear and there is a wind from the North." McGonagall said. She cast the spell and Harry instantly felt toasty warm.

"Why don't we learn this Warming Charm?" Harry asked as they went outside.

"It's a NEWT level charm. If you take a charms NEWT which I do recommend you'll learn it your 6th year." She4 said as the exited the castle. "Do you see the wards Mr. Potter." she turned to face the door.

Harry turned to face the door himself. "Faintly by the door. It looks like those shields that interlock. You know the ones the Romans used. The blue and red shields aren't quick locking together." Harry described what he saw.

"Good. Now mount up. The Gryffindor wards cover the outside of the castle from the ground floor up to the 5th floor. The outer wall wards are different and are dealt with by rituals done by the four heads of house and the Headmaster and don't concern us. Now I want you to find where the wards are weakest." McGonagall ordered.

Harry studied the wards for a moment the color of the wards where stronger to the left while to the right the colors faded in and out. "I think the wards grow weaker to the right. The colors are faded and sometimes fade out altogether." Harry told her.

"Correct. Now you may run into wards that don't run true to that pattern. Wards of concealment and the like tend to fade as they get stronger. Other wards do other things. Prof. Flitwick will teach you more about them during your mage sight lessons." Prof. McGonagall said as she rose to the third floor. "Mr. Potter if you will go ahead of me please and below me."

As the followed the castle exterior Harry noticed small knots instead of the large knots he found with the Slytherin and Hufflepuff wards. Most covered windows which he knew could be opened to let in breezes. Several covered spots where it was just stone wall. After the third such spot Harry asked. "Professor why are there knots there it's just stone?"

"Physical changes to the castle over the centuries. Those spots used to be windows. We are coming to the one spot the students don't know about the last physical change to the exterior of the castle. It's a tower over the lake called the Fairy tower. It's been sealed off since it's last occupant retired in 1934. It was meant to house the Heads of House."

"Could Brown's Master be living there if it's sealed off." Harry asked.

"Only if he was insane. The rooms can change at a thought and if you don't have the utmost control over your thoughts the rooms can run amok. My one encounter with the Gryffindor set of rooms had me wishing for tea and getting a hedgehog." McGonagall said.

As they came up on the tower Harry blinked. It floated over the lake with it's only attachment to the castle a narrow bridge at the midpoint. Here the wards glowed strongly each proper with no twists or malformations that the other wards had. The complexity of the wards baffle him. While some of the wards do fade out they do so cleanly. As the tower can't be seen from the lake or any place else on the grounds Harry expects these are the wards concealing the tower from view.

"I'm not seeing any thing wrong with the wards. But I could be missing a lot. They are so complex I don't know were one begins and another one ends." Harry told Prof. McGonagall.

"You and me both. None of the current staff have been able to untangle them. It's an on going puzzle for the staff. However since the wards of protection are the standard for Hogwarts and they look to be in good shape we can bypass the need to examine them further." The clock tower rang 11 PM. "Bedtime for you Mr. Potter. When you return to Gryffindor I want you to write up what you have seen on tonight's inspection." She told him as they finished up above the main entrance.

Instead of landing there Prof. McGongall had his follow her towards the Gryffindor tower to just under the eaves. There she said a word and a section of the wall peeled back like that in Diagon alley. She flew inside and landed. Once she did torches lit up a small room with empty broom racks similar to the ones in the changing rooms at the pitch.

"I'm quite sure you have found the guard barracks scattered around the castle by now. This is another of the old defenses. There is one in each of the original towers when the castle was built. I've placed special wards up here to seal it off from the students. Your are not to come up here understood." Prof. McGonagall admonished.

"It's like the two other kitchens in Hufflepuff territory." Harry clarified he understood.

"That will do Mr. Potter." Prof. McGonagall said as she opened the door to room then stopped Harry before he exited to flick his wand at him. "We will exit this room in the Girl's dormitories I have temporarily neutralized the protections that restrict boys from this area. Once in the common room the spell will be canceled."

They went down the stairs into a linen closet then out into the stairwell for the girls Dormitories. In the common room the 7th and 6th years are waiting. Montgomery handed McGonagall a slip of parchment which she read. "You are with me Mr. Montgomery since you still are underage even with your parents permission."

Harry tuned them out as he went to the table he had set up prior to the inspection of the Gryffindor wards. He drew his map marked were the hot spots where. Then made a notation for were the Fairy Tower was. By that time the common room had cleared out save the lone fifth year prefect waiting to see that Harry heads to bed. Since he is finished he does so. Ron is waiting up for him.

"Anything interesting?" Ron asked.

"Tell you before breakfast." Harry told him as he changed into his pajamas.

"Good I've got the perfect spot for the trap." Ron said. "Hermione says that she's got some progress on the transportation spell for us to."

"Finally. Remind me to write Remus about the map some time this week would you." Harry commented as he climbed into bed. The candles dimmed then went out. Only the one by the door stayed lit.

The before breakfast meeting took place in the nearest of the barracks rooms to the tower. "Hermione does _Hogwarts a History_ mention anything at all about the Fairy Tower. Prof. McGonagall said it was the last physical change to the castle." Harry asked.

"In the Unbridged self updating version it does. That one is in the restricted section though. What I know from my quick looks through it isn't much. The Fairy tower was added to the Castle in 1853 at the request of the then head of Slytherin Calanthe Ravens, she taught DADA for 125 years retiring in 1934. The longest living teacher on record." Hermione told them.

"Would it tell you the spells used on the tower by chance?" Harry asked.

"I'll have to go back and check some times it does, some time it doesn't. I'll need to borrow your cloak to do it. My pass ran out on the 31st."

Ron looked up from his study of the map. "Any other surprises last night?" he asked.

"Just a few blank spots on the wall were Prof. McGonagall said that at one time there had been windows. Here , here and here." Harry pointed them out. "Then the empty Broom closets on the top of each of the original towers."

"I know why this area is blank. The room was converted to a test area for the Curse Breakers club in the 18 hundreds. It's currently used as a dark room for the Photography club." Hermione told them.

"I think I'll set the twins to finding out what the other two rooms where changed for. Now I found the perfect spot for the trap to get Brown." Ron began as he got out his map of the castle. One of the advantages of using these barracks rooms was that they could leave things here with out some one else getting a hold of them. "This corridor is one he likes to use after lunches. Christine Applegate has volunteered to be the bait. She's a third year Hufflepuff with the begins of the Healer's gift. She's also the daughter of two muggleborns. For our purposes this passageway has two advantages. A point to point corridor and a concealed room here. A couple of witnesses at each of these points under some form of concealing spell from each house." Ron trailed off.

"You've asked about this with the teachers?" Hermione asked.

"Not yet. I've an appointment with Prof. Sprout tomorrow to get Christine's permission to be bait. With out that we have to wait." Ron said.

"Okay, last thing then. There are five possible spells we can use as transportation. I need to talk to Prof. Flitwick about the theory behind them before I narrow it down to the three Prof. Snape wants. There is a sixth one I'm going to adapt a bit. Frankly I think it's going to be illegal anyway. It's going to be a last ditch get the hell out of there sort of spell."

"Hermione those type of spells are always illegal." sighed Ron. "Please Breakfast."

"Let's go." Hermione said

Everything they had taken out is put away and locking wards unique to the three of them lock their individual chests.


	15. Duel

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Them.

Author's Note: I've posted a new story called Hufflepuff Harry. Look for once a month updates on this until Silver Viper is fininshed. s/9152536/1/Hufflepuff-Harry

Prof. Flitwick had Harry meet him at the 6th floor courtyard by the Ravenclaw tower. It was one of the strange things about Hogwarts from the 6th floor up there where odd courtyards open to the sky scattered here and there, several being used as gardens. Neville was monopolizing the one by Gryffindor tower along with the NEWT level Herbology students for a rare plant garden. Every one in Gryffindor knew it was enter at your own risk as the plants where libel to eat you as not.

This one had no plants in it only statues of various heads of house and benches all in white marble. Flitwick waited on a flying carpet just big enough for two in the center of the courtyard. "Excellent on time, hop on and we will be off." Flitwick ordered.

"I thought flying carpets where illegal Prof. Flitwick?" Harry asked as he got on. There was some sort of localized warming charm in effect once he got on the carpet.

"Yes and no. No in that places like Hogwarts behind muggle repelling wards are acceptable. Also 1 and 2 person carpets can be used the same as brooms with the same restrictions. What is illegal is the large multiple person carpets." Flitwick told him as they headed to the roof.

Once clear of the roof Harry saw the faint blue of the Ravenclaw wards. "The wards are weird, Professor." Harry commented.

"The Ravenclaw wards are unique. Instead of being laid over the castle like the other wards they are woven into the very fabric of the castle." Flitwick explained. "Damage will appear as rips in the fabric of the wards."

"What are those?" Harry asked about the grotesque statues scattered over the roof.

"Stone Golems they are part of the defense system of Hogwarts. They where put up by the students of Hufflepuff not long after the castle was built. They are somewhat dated these days still they are a defense that few know about these days." Flitwick explained. "If you want to know more about them I could suggest some books though Prof. Sprout knows more of them then I do."

Another oddity of Hogwarts are the rooms built into the roof. They examine several. There are no exits save the door to the roof. Like the old barracks rooms they served as a place to house watchmen. "Sir, there's a rip in the wards." Harry pointed. "There by the golem with 3 horns."

"I see it." Flitwick steered the carpet to land by the golem. He touched it and it looked down at him. "This is how the master is getting in. It's been a recent entry as well. Mr. Potter please place your hand on the golem. I want to identify you to them. I'm going to activate the search function and wish you recognized as friend. This one is going to guard the rip and not allow any one in or out unless known to it."

"Right," Harry touched the golem surprised it was warm, he had expected it to be cold stone. He just might take Flitwick up on that suggested reading. The golem looked at him then turned back to the rip in the wards. However when Harry turned his head he could see faint glowing foot steps leading away.

Back on the carpet Flitwick raised the carpet just enough to clear the roof and drew a wand of some very dark wood with his left hand.

"Specialized dueling wand." Flitwick whispered. "When we get close I'm going to leave you the carpet. I want you to find some place to hide. If I fall you are to find the nearest courtyard and seek help. Understand."

"Yes, sir." Harry drew his own wand.

A searing bolt of white light blasted by them. Destroying both their night vision and their mage sight temporarily. Flitwick tumbles off on purpose and Harry finds a chimney to hide behind.

Flitwick casts 3 rapid fire spells along the path of the light bolt. Then a further 3. Harry heard a few curse words from his left. Then another bolt of light from that direction. Flitwick cast more spells silently only his wand motions betraying his location.

As his night vision and mage sight returned he tried to keep track of the battle. Flitwick darted around giving the attacker almost no target to aim for. The attacker on the other hand was getting hit hard. He had thrown up shields which betrayed his location to defend against the barrage of spells Flitwick kept casting at him.

As the battle wore on Harry began to notice that Flitwick was herding the attacker in such a way that the attacker back was to Harry. When a particularly brutal barrage knocked down the attacker's shields Harry cast the disarming hex. As the man heard him the spell only glanced off a hastily erected shield allowing the man to keep his wand though throwing him directly into a bit of nastiness that Flitwick threw at him.

Harry used this distraction to dodge behind another bit of concealing stone work. Then the process started again. Flitwick seeming to know were Harry was hidden so maneuvered the attacker so his back was presented to Harry. Three times the ruse worked. The third time there was a cry of pain followed by a bolt of light that blinded them. When their sight cleared enough to see again Flitwick came to Harry to check to see if he was alright.

Only then did Flitwick go to where the attacker had last been. On the ground there was a few drops of blood. They follow are able to follow it for about a 100 yards before it disappears into one of the roof top rooms.

"Damn and blast." Flitwick muttered. "That leads to a supply hub. He could be anywhere by now. By the way excellent work with the backstabbing spell work. Few Gryffindors your age would even consider it acceptable. 10 points to Gryffindor."

"My cousin considers me his personal punching bag. Sneak attacks are the only way to get even." Harry shrugged.

"One can't choose one's relatives unfortunately." Flitwick comments. "Let's finish up the inspection and close off any other entrances for that foul man."

"Professor I rarely heard you use spells though I saw wand motion. Why was that?" Harry asked.

"Nonverbal magic is taught in 6th year. Though considering your advanced level I like to have you tested to see if your magic is mature enough for it. Don't be disappointed if you never learn it. Your Father was never capable of it. Though he learned to be almost silent with whispered spells. The advantage he had was that he didn't have to move his wand to cast spells. It seems to be a trade off you have one or the other never both." Flitwick explained as they finished up the inspection.

They find three more rips in the fabric of the wards. These are smaller and like the first near a stone golem. Once finished Flitwick returned Harry to Gryffindor tower. There Harry made the rough notes he'd use for the write up for Prof. Snape. Astronomy for his classmates was canceled that night.

At breakfast the next morning Snape request that Harry join him for lunch in his office. When he arrived at Snape's office he found lunch waiting. "Tuck in Mr. Potter." Snape ordered. "Prof. Flitwick praised your cool head last night and awarded you points for it. He also came to as I am your Master that you be tested for magical maturity. I am in agreement with this you are showing levels of power you shouldn't be showing until 6th year and beyond. That said I'd like to arrange for said testing. Since it will take three hours and require Madam Pomfrey's presence I'd like to know when you are free to take the tests."

Harry set his sandwich down on the plate. "I've Wednesday nights with you, Tuesday and Thursday nights with every other Saturday morning scheduled for quidditch practice. Astronomy this year is at midnight on Wednesdays. It will change to 3 AM after Easter Break." Harry informed him.

"I believe the testing can wait until Easter Break. It is my understanding that you will be staying over the holiday correct?" Snape asked.

"Yes, Sir." Harry replied after swallowing a some tomato salad.

"Then plan on it for the first Monday. I'll inform you of the exact time. Now if you will describe for me the duel you saw and the colors of the spells you recognized." Snape ordered.


	16. Skeleton

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Company.

It's quiet over the next few weeks. Brown only maked one attempt at hexing a younger student. The unknown master none. A welcome letter from Remus explained more on how the map worked and that regrettably nothing else could be added to it. One function of the map did allowed them to single out individuals or track only a certain location.

With that information Ron highlighted Brown and the locations he was known to use as hexing points. Harry then had Dobby watch the map while they are in class. One thing they tried was to get the master who attacked Harry and Prof. Flitwick on the roof to show up. Unfortunately no one did.

With the three of them working on different things they have taken to using the barracks room near Gryffindor tower to hold Sunday morning meetings to bring each other up to date on everything. A couple of weeks before Easter Break Hermione at their Sunday meeting tells them about her research.

"I've got the transportation spells down to three methods. The one I like most is a variation on the Portkey spell. My understanding of the theory of the spell says its motive force is different even though the key is still an enchanted object. The main difference between the two spells that I can see is that a portkey is tied between two spots while this is limitless as to the locations possible. The bad thing about this one is that the user has to have been to location at least once before to set it as a location." Hermione explained.

"What about anti-portkey wards?" Ron asked.

"Ones like around the Ministry and Hogwarts I don't think it can get through them. Others I don't know. Using it does not count as underage magic. Just like portkey use doesn't. It's setting the spell for the locations that's going to be the main problem until we are of age. The user has to set the location." Hermione explained to them.

"So no spell to activate it then?" Harry said.

"A key word for the destination. However, the word or words doesn't have to be the actual places name." Hermione said.

"I could set it up for the Burrow. Mum usually turns a blind eye to small magics and with the ambient magic there the ministry can't detect really simple stuff like lumos. That still leaves you two with out a home location to go to." Ron pointed out.

"Field trips. The spell is simple enough. We have the trip to Great Yarmouth to see the underwater garden. Then there is that trip to Glasgow after break we can sign up for." Hermione commented.

"Possible." Ron agreed. "The next one?"

"Potion based. The key is a bit of dirt from the destination. The bad thing about this one is the brewing time is 6 months and the distance is only a 100 miles or so." Hermione told them.

"Can the dirt be sent to us?" Harry asked.

"Yes, and you can make specific destination batches and keep them on you." Hermione said.

"The third one?' asked Harry.

"It's called the Bifrost Bridge. It generates a rainbow to travel on. Distance wise it can get use anywhere on the island. It's not secret every one will know were you are going. That may not matter." Hermione said.

"I'll set up a meeting with Snape. Ron what about you?" Harry asked.

"Narrowing down the location for the capture. He's disappearing off the map once in a while though." Ron reported.

"Show me were and I'll see if there are any secret passageways or rooms around the location." Harry promised. "Would Monday during Snape's office ours be good for every one?"

With all in agreement they leave to pursue various other things.

After supper Harry set up the meeting. That Monday they meet in Snape's office. Hermione handed over her notes on the spells she choose. "The Bifrost Bridge is illegal. Muggles can see it. That leaves you two choices. My choice since you are under age is to use the potion. Advances in the last 200 years in potion making render the brewing time to 2 weeks. One of those advances is the commercial brewing of Sprat oil in standard strengths. A 50% dilution would give you sufficient distance to cover all of the British Isles. If this is your choice I will do the first brewing to make sure this is a truly viable method of travel." Snape commented.

"Good, I wasn't looking forward to trying to update a 200 year old recipe." Hermione said with relief.

"As to the remaining option. Given your age it is some what restrictive. I'll pass it on to Prof. Flitwick to go over. He may have more information on the motive force behind this spell. Mr. Weasley your report?"

"Prof. Sprout has secured the proper permissions for my choice of bait. I just need to make the arrangements with the seventh years as to who will be the official witnesses." Ron reported.

"Excellent, Mr. Potter your search?" Snape asked.

"I found a new set of secret rooms. It's not on any map I've seen of the castle. The location is that corridor of unused store rooms in the Hufflepuff territory." Harry explained. "I've placed that tripwire spell you taught me on the door."

"I'll arrange for Prof. Sprout and myself to accompany you some time this week to further investigate. Was there anything else?" He asked. When they said no he dismissed them.

Friday after supper Harry meet up with Professors Sprout and Snape in Prof. Sprouts office. While he lead them to the store room he explained what he found.

"I was checking for secret doors in the empty store rooms all except this one has none that I could see in it. If it wasn't for a Timmons mouse teleporting away I wouldn't of seen it. The key to it was a simple pressure point like the barracks rooms." Harry said.

"I take it you opened the door?" Snape commented looking for more information.

"I did. I saw a corridor with 5 doors down the right side, a single door at the very end and a set of double doors and two single doors on the left. By the middle door on the right there is a human skeleton. That was Sunday night." Harry said as they arrived at the store room.

Once in front of the secret door Snape began a series of spells meant to reveal spells of concealment. "Definitely concealment charms though they are beginning to fade." Snape informed them.

When Snape stepped back Harry moved forward and depressed the stone that opened the door. The corridor was as he described. They began with the right hand side. The rooms where either empty or half filled with old junk in need of repair. On the left side they started by going to the room closest to the entrance. That turned out to be a bedroom. The furniture was mismatched and in poor repair. The wardrobe contained some half rotted gowns of a century ago. A chest of drawers some underthings in the same state. A bedside table contained a couple of yellowed letters on cheap parchment.

They go to the next room on the left. This room had been turned into a kitchen. The preservation spells on the food had begun to fade and most of the food was gone. In one corner a simple potions set up drew Snape for a closer investigation. It was simply a student's set up and of no particular interest.

The room with the double doors proved to be a library. The books where shelved any which way. Most where fiction. There was a desk in the middle of the room. Sprout went through it as Snape went through the books. Diaries and notes and letters all of varying dates going back to 1634.

"This was a hide away for those rare students who if they found these rooms could stay here in the summers. That poor girl was the last to use these rooms for that purpose. Once she is removed I will be sealing these rooms." Sprout said.

"At this point Mr. Potter it would be best if you went to your dormitory." Snape ordered.

"What about the last room?" Harry asked.

"Likely the loo." Sprout said. "A 19th century Loo at that." Sprout shuddered with distaste. "No indoor plumbing in the Castle until 1907."

"Right, Good night then." Harry said as he headed out. By the skeleton he saw a small vial. "Professor Snape there is a vial of some sort by the body."

"To your dormitory Potter it's nearly curfew." Snape ordered.


	17. Interlude Secondus

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Company.

Author's Note: I am sorry for not posting last Saturday I'm having a bit of writer's block on this Story. Next Saturday I'll be posting the next Chapter for Hufflepuff Harry.

It was the Saturday before Easter Break and a Hogsmeade weekend. The Weasleys where meeting their parents in the taproom of the Three Broomsticks. Hermione was going to attend a lecture on Runic charms that was being held at the Three Broomsticks in the private parlor. That left Harry on his own for the day. A stop at Honeydukes to look over the enchanted Chocolate Easter Eggs in the shop window was the first thing on his to do list. He had debated buying himself one. Like Christmas presents the Dursleys hadn't given him Easter Baskets.

"Fascinating what Honeydukes can do with chocolate isn't it." Snape commented as he stopped by Harry who was looking at the display of Easter Eggs in the window of Honeydukes.

"Yes it is." Harry replied.

"Were are your friends?" Snape asked.

"The Weasleys are with their parents and Hermione is attending lecture." Harry responded.

"Then you are free this afternoon?" Snape asked.

"I guess." Harry shrugged.

"Excellent you can help me run errands. Follow me." Snape said as he headed into Honeydukes. "Which of the Chocolate Eggs is your Favorite?"

"The one with the Bunny Rabbit Quidditch teams." Harry replied as he followed Prof. Snape inside.

"Morning' Professor what can I get you?" the shop owner asked.

"I need one large Chocolate Egg and the usual assortment of smaller eggs. I think the one with the Rabbit Quidditch team should do." Snape ordered.

Harry blinked. This is a side of Snape he didn't know. "Professor who's it for?"

"The child of a friend." Snape replied. "You don't need to know more."

By the time they finished with the errands it was around 2:30. "Since we missed lunch would you like to have tea with me in my office. I have a few things to go over with you that I would rather not put off." Snape invited Harry.

"Sure, I've got nothing better to do."

The tea that the house elves brought was hearty. Roast beef sandwiches and Oat Digestive Biscuits. As they ate Snape brought up Harry's marks in two of his classes. History of Magic and divination.

Professor Snape why are you interested in my Marks?" Harry asked.

"You are my apprentice though it is an informal apprenticeship. As such because you are both an orphan and a minor I can act as your guardian in a limited way." Snape replied.

"When did I become your apprentice?" Harry asked surprised.

"When you agreed to take Mage sight classes from me." Snape told him.

"Oh."

"Now to History of Magic. I am well aware that that class is deadly boring. However you do need a better mark in it. I'm going to suggest some supplemental reading. It was how I got through the class. Binns doesn't notice any one who is reading in the back of the class room. Do the reading during class. If you can bring your mark up to Exceeds expectations I will be satisfied."

"I can do that. Is there a book list you want me to read from?" Harry asked.

"I'll give you the list by Monday. Now as to Divination. I am not sure what to do with that class it's one I never took." Snape admitted.

"Homework consists of predicting how you will die using what ever method of divination we're studying that week. I'm running out of gruesome ways to die. Prof. Trelawny marks us down if we repeat a method of death." Harry said with a shrug.

"I see. Let me get back to you on what we are going to do about that class." Snape said baffled.

"Fine by me. Did you every find out who the skeleton was?" Harry asked.

"Clarity James, she was a student here in 1887. Miss James chose to commit suicide rather then return to her guardians and the arranged marriage she faced. It seems she stumbled on a loophole in the wards that allows a student to stay over the summer. From what we have been able to find there are conditions on it." Snape said.

"So I could stay in that set of rooms over the summer?" Harry asked.

"No, as you have living blood relatives." Snape told him. They discuss more of what Harry will be up to over the Easter Break.

By the time Harry returned to the common room it was nearing four and the students where beginning to trickle in from Hogsmeade. He headed up to his dorm room with the intent to read a bit before dinner. Before he got two pages into his book he was fast asleep. When he woke up it was 1 in the morning. He wandered down stairs to the common room were he finds a lone 7th year studying.

"You missed dinner. Not planning on sneaking out to the kitchen are you?" the 7th year asked.

"Not really." Harry said walking over to the fire.

"Bitsy sandwiches for two please." the 7th year ordered. "Names Nigel Johnson."

"You have a house elf?" Harry asked not seeing any sign of anything enchanted by Nigel.

"Yes, inherited her from my Great Uncle since I'm the only one magical in my family." Nigel replied.

Two plates appeared on the table with ham sandwiches and milk. Harry caught a glimpse of a small elf shaped glow as it moved to the fireplace. "Thank you. Is there a watch on me?" Harry asked before he took a bite of sandwich.

"Yeah."

"So you're my guard for the night?"

"Nah, I've got Apprenticeship exams to study for. This late at night it's the ghosts who watch you." Nigel replied.

"Who set the watch?" Harry asked angrily.

"With Brown on the prowl and who ever is teaching him as well we don't want you put in a position were you don't have back up encase you need it. It's not just Gryffindor either all the houses are in on it." Nigel said.

Harry sighed. "Thanks for the Sandwich." he said then went back up to bed. He had some thinking to do on the subject.


	18. Basilisk and Phoenix

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and company. This is just for fun.

Harry went to the train station with the others to wish them a safe holiday. When he got back to Hogwarts it had started to rain. He headed to the kitchens first thing to get something to eat. The house elves had a warm bowl of stewed chicken with a hint of curry in it, some crusty bread and a mug of tea waiting for him. Lately he had been hungry all the time and his clothes at the cuffs and wrists had become a little to short. Hed have to make a trip to the shops in Hogsmeade for some new clothes soon.

Once finished with lunch he took a look outside. Still raining and the weather had gotten colder asa few flakes of snow swirled past the window. Not wanting to wander the castle he headed to the library. Madam Pince was at the front desk dealing with a 6th year wanting to go into the restricted section with out a pass. He chose to head back to the hidden library. There he grabbed a book at random off the shelf. The subject was on breeding fire breathing chickens. Intrigued despite the subject matter he took the book over to the lone table in the room.

"Potter what are you doing here?" Snape asked as he walked into the library.

"Bored and it's to cold and wet to go flying." Harry replied.

"What are you reading?" Snape asked.

"How to breed fire breathing chickens." Harry replied.

"Fire breathing chickens? Such an animal would be illegal to breed. You do know that don't you?" Snape asked.

"Yeah I know. Told you I was bored." Harry replied. "However breeding of magical creatures interests me. How one goes about it interests me. Take Postal owls for instance. Obviously magical. Common non magical owls can't deliver the mail. Or take kneazles definitely related to cats some how as you get fertile cross breeds. Then there is Hagrid's new favorite Blast ended Skewts. How did they come into being? No way where they a natural creature."

Snape chuckled. "Blast ended Skewts where bred for one thing only. Fuel for the Knight bus and various other like transportation world wide. Hogwarts and Hogsmeade are one of the few places were they can be legally bred."

"Which is why Hagrid is teaching us about them." Harry sighed. "Couldn't he do that for the NEWT level Classes."

"I think he does it for the same reason I teach Love potions in fifth year. To winnow out those who would be ineffective at the art. The love potions I teach are short lived and require the worst possible ingredients." Snape commented. "Was there a specific beast you want to breed or is it breeding in general you want to know about?"

"Breeding in general. I'm finiding out how rare my owl Hedwig is." Harry replied. "I'd like to breed her this summer."

"There is an owl breeders association. Also Mistress Knight who keeps the owls at Hogwarts is more then happy to talk to students about their owls and offer breeding tips. I believe you have the only snowy owl at the school." Snape said. "You will have to wait until after Easter Holidays as she is currently away."

"Thanks I'll go talk to her." Harry replied. Pain blossomed everywhere in his body. He grimaced and waited for it to stop checking the time against his watch. It lasted 1 minute 47 seconds. Then he felt the tingle of a diagnostic spell.

Snape held his wand on Harry a look of worry on his face. "Potter how long have you been having these pain spells?" he asked.

"Since mid summer." Harry replied. "The longest lasted 3 minutes 4 seconds. Madam Pomfrey said they're growing pains. Something about my magical channels opening up as I grow."

"Given the growth spurt you have shown this year some form of growing pain is to be expected. However what you have just gone through is not the usual sort of Growth Pain a wizard your age experiences. To the infirmary, I will accompany you" Snape ordered. Madam Pomfrey was in the middle of inventorying the supply cupboard when they arrived. "Madam Pomfrey please if you would a class four diagnostic charm and what ever follow ups you think proper." Snape requested.

Madam Pomfrey complied casting the spell on Harry who had gone to the nearest bed and sat down. Six spells later Madam Pomfrey had a worried look on her face. "Prof. Snape you wouldn't happen to have on hand a Venom Identifying potion would you?"

"With Potter being a parseltongue I do. Any other rare potions you require?" Snape asked.

"The Mother's Blessing." Madam Pomfrey requested.

"I'll bring both." Snape told her.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked.

"A class four diagnostic charm is one I use rarely. It's used for rare poisons and venoms. It also highlights bites were the venom has entered the body." She replied. "You have three venom bites. Two on your hands and one on your arm. I know of the common viper bite on your hand what the other two are is unknown."

"What's the Mother's Blessing?" Harry asked.

"Potion that reveals which curatives have been used on you. I'll get good clear answers for about the last 36 months. That includes most common muggle remedies." She told him.

Snape returned quickly. "This is the last vial of Mother's Blessing I'll start a new batch tomorrow." He handed her the vials.

"This one first, it's the venom identification." Madam Pomfrey handed Harry the vial.

Harry downed it quickly. Nothing seemed to happen until Madam Pomfrey cast a couple of spells at him. His Mage sight caught a hint of silver light then a rare silvery green light. She consulted a book and frowned. Then she gave him the Mother's blessing. That produced various lights. He assumed as the lights faded the curatives where given to him earlier. Again Madam Pomfrey had to consult a book.

"Mr. Potter when did you get bitten by a Basilisk?" demanded Madam Pomfrey.

"Second year in the Chamber of Secrets." Harry replied. "I killed it."

"That would explain the spike in the Slytherin wards that year. The Basilisk was a Slytherin guardian beast." Snape mused.

"Voldemort got to it when he was in school. Turned it to his own uses." Harry replied.

"Hagrid will be over the moon with the chance to breed one to replace it. However this time the control spells are going to be in English and not parseltongue I believe." Snape said.

"There is a problem for Mr. Potter though some how he's been dosed with raw Phoenix tears and they are reacting to the Basilisk venom and some sort of spider venom." Madam Pomfrey said. "Luckily the spider venom is non magical."

"What are the effects of the combination?" Snape asked.

"Unknown and Mr. Potter is still experiencing growing pains. I'll need to do some research on the combination before I can formulate a treatment for him. A sample of the Basilisk venom would be nice. The phoenix was Falkes, Mr. Potter?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Yes." Harry replied. "Am I going to die or something?"

"No, Mr. Potter you are not. However your magic is affected. Once I have identified all of the toxins in your blood I can give you a prognosis of what to expect. Given what I have observed so far you seem to be be one of the rare people who are benefiting from the combination." Madame Pomfrey said. "You may go now. Come back some time after lunch on Wednesday I should have something for you then."

Once out of the infirmary. "Mr. Potter would it be possible to collect the venom sample from the Basilisk today?" Snape asked.

"It will take a couple of hours to get there and back." Harry replied. "You'll need your broom or a good levitation charm to get back up once you're down in the Chamber." Harry said.

"Tomorrow after breakfast then. I suggest you start reading up on breeding magical chickens and toads. Breeding Basilisks isn't as easy as myth makes it out." Snape said.

Harry returned to the hidden library and his book. It would pass the rest of the wet afternoon.


	19. Interlude V3

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and company. This is just for fun.

After Breakfast the next day Harry meet Snape by Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom. Snape had his broom with him as well as a knapsack that bulged. "What's in the knapsack, Sir?" Harry asked.

"Collecting equipment. I intend on collecting what I can of the Basilisk." Snape replied.

Upon entering the bathroom Harry noted that Myrtle was not in residence so they didn't have to deal with her. Harry opened the portal to the Chamber of Secrets. "Sliding down is okay. There is a bit of a drop at the bottom though." Harry warned him.

"Please use a Hover Charm Mr. Potter." Snape reminded him. "As a second year you didn't know it. Now you do." Snape cast the charm upon himself then descended the tunnel. Harry followed after casting his own. The cave in still blocked most of the tunnel. With a swish of his wand Prof. Snape removed about a third of it allowing them easier access to the tunnel. On the other side Harry lead the way to the chamber. As they approached the smell of rotted flesh had Prof. Snape casting bubble head charms over the both of them.

Bodies of dead scavengers litter the floor. The basilisk carcase itself was still mostly intact. Snape tapped the carcase with a hammer and it sounded like stone. "As I thought it's slowly becoming stone. The venom first then what ever I can collect." Snape directed Harry in how to help him. An hour later they are finished and return to the surface Harry sealing the chamber once they are clear of it. "Prof. Flitwick wants to see you. He's going to talk you through the enchantment for the transportation spell. I'll have the results of the tests on the venom and it's mixing with Phoenix tears by dinner this evening. Meet me in my office after dinner."

"Yes, sir. Prof. Flitwick in his office?" Harry asked.

"No, his class room." Snape said as dismissal.

Harry ran to put his broom away and went to the charms class room. Flitwick had a map of Britain laid out on the floor. It was a strange map though as it seemed to have the major highways as well as some sort of other marking running across them. "Professor?"

"Ah, good Mr. Potter. This is a fused map it shows muggle roads and the like as well as the floo network between cities." Flitwick explained. "These Floo nodes." he pointed to where the floo lines intersected. "Are public Floo connections. My thought is to have you imprint these as you transport points."

"I only know the Burrow and Diagon alley as Floo points." Harry said.

"As we imprint each of these nodes on to the item you will learn it's name and how to get there via the floo network and muggle transportation. We will travel to each node via the Floo network. Have you decided on an item to enchant?" Flitwick asked.

"I was thinking my glasses." Harry replied.

"Hand them here I need to see if they are suitable." Flitwick ordered. Harry complied with the request. Flitwick began casting a series of spells on the glasses. The color change Harry saw with his mage sight was interesting. "Regrettably they wont do. They already have about as much magic as they can hold."

Harry drew a plain silver ring out of his trouser pocket. "I'll need to put a fitting spell on it. Other than that would it should work." Harry handed the ring to Prof. Flitwick.

Flitwick cast the same spells as he used on Harry's glasses. "Quite usable and not a flashy as most rings are. If you permit I will cast a chameleon charm on the ring as well as the fitting charm."

"What's a chameleon charm?" Harry asked.

"It's a variation of the disillusionment charm one of the advantages is that once cast it changes the item so it appears to be part of what it's touching and on an item this small undetectable. Not even mage sight will show it up." Flitwick explained.

Harry smiled at that. Flitwick began teaching Harry the exact wand movements. By lunch Harry has them down. After lunch it is back to the charms class room to work on the spell itself. Harry hadn't been aware that the pronunciation of the spell required such precision. Each syllable had to be perfect. Just before dinner Prof. Flitwick let Harry cast the spell. He checked it over and pronounced it acceptable. "Tomorrow we start adding the Floo nodes. Please leave your morning free."

"Thank you for your help Professor."

"You are quite welcome Mr. Potter it is an interesting challenge." Flitwick commented with a smile. "Something to keep the mind active and alert."

Dinner that night was Boiled mutton. When it was first served Harry like most muggle raised students turned his nose up at it. When Mrs Weasley fixed it his first summer with them he tried a bite just to please her and found it was quite like a pot roast only with mutton instead of beef. Like pot roast the variations are near endless. Tonight's version had tomatoes and beer in it along with the usual vegetables.

"What do you think of tonight's dinner Mr. Potter?" Prof. Sprout asked.

"I like this variation." he replied. The other students who stayed over the holiday all agreed that it was one of the better ones.

"I suppose it can go on the menu next month." sighed McGonagall. "That does make 321 variations on Boiled mutton so far."

"We do have a bet Prof. McGonagall." Prof. Sprout reminded her.

"What was the bet again?" Prof. Dumbledore asked.

"That I could supply 365 variations of Boiled mutton. Prof McGonagall had complained about it and wanted to take it off the menu. It is a favorite for most of the students and it uses up the last of the winter vegetables quite nicely." Prof. Sprout replied.

Harry listened to the conversation about the school's menu with half an ear. He was going to have to cook for the Dursley's sometime during the summer months. Might as well get some ideas. After dinner Harry went with Prof. Snape to his office.

Snape left for a minute then returned with a notebook. "Raw Phoenix tears and Basilisk venom is a very odd combination. They only react beneficially if they are combined in human blood at slightly below human body temperature. The chance of that happening..." Snape trailed off.

"About as likely as an infant suriving the death curse." Harry finished for him.

"Quite. The results of such a happening are as I said beneficial. You heal faster then average. This is a permanent change the venom and tears have mixed and have polled around your magic nodes in your body. They have enlarged to adult size already. The channels are now enlarging to match. Madame Pomfrey speculates that once you are full grown your magical system will be on the upper end with the increase of power that will go along with it." Snape informed him.

"So what does that mean? I'll be another like Prof. Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

"Magically you should exceed him in raw power. That also means that you could come into more then one of the gifts with the second showing up when such a gift normally would." Snape continued.

"Don't I already have 2 gifts Mage sight and Parseltongue?" Harry asked.

"While beast tongue is considered a gift, a single beast language is not unusual with another stronger gift so it doesn't count as a separate gift. As Snakes are aligned with earth I suspect you might have a strong earth gift." Snape said.

"Any other benefits?" Harry asked.

"Immunity to all venom and poison. You'll have some mild affects but it will in no way be anything major. There is one other thing you need to be aware of. Your blood is changing. This will affect assess to your vault the key that lets you in is keyed to you via blood. You'll need to get a change slip from Madame Pomfrey and take it to Gringots to get your key changed. The goblins only require a couple of drops to key the key to you. If you want I could schedule a visit to get it done while you are on Holiday." Snape offered.

"I'd like that. While we are there could I get some new clothes?" Harry held up his arm and the too short sleeve of his jumper.

"That can be arranged." Snape agreed.


End file.
